Valentin Venczel
from Zrenjanin, the head of the Hungarian Novisadsky theater in Serbia
On myself
I’d never dreamed of being an actor as I’d been supposed to be a gravestones maker like my father and my grandfather used to be. One day I realized that gravestones are the things making happy neither a person they’re made for nor the one who orders it. Having worked for a while, I entered the theater school and worked there for 13 seasons. Then I left Serbia and spent 23 years abroad living in different countries. In 2013 I returned and now I’m the head of the theater I used to tread the boards at. I spent most of my life in Hungary, I’ve been to Romania, Slovakia, Sweden and Canada as well.
I’ve stalled about 140 parts, that's enough for me. I’ve already acted different parts twice or thrice. For example, 30 years ago I played the part of Arthur, and 5-6 years ago I played his father. Once in Chekhov's "Three Sisters" I played Lieutenant Fedotik, and 20 years later I played Masha's husband.
On the play
On June, 10 the play called "A Tomb for Boris Davidovich" was put on at Gorky Theater as part of the theatrical festival. You might think the play to be performed by the Astana theater, as we have almost the same acting school.
The play written by a great writer Dani Lukish has the invisible revolution occurring inside a person as the main theme. We show the revolution visually as the theater is the art of showing the unseen. Otherwise it would be trite.
Novisadsky theater’s 13 out of 20 actors are performing here. They do understand the problems and essence of this play.
On Russian drama theater in Astana
I’ve seen a great variety of theaters all over the world. I believe Kazakhstani actors to be the best, they’d definitely be on the top in Europe. Having the roots of habitual national culture, representatives of the school of Stanislavsky and Danchenko know more than any English or German actors do. Your actors are open and up-to-date, they do know their language. We call such a phenomenon “verbal perfection”. I was surprised how technically perfect your guys are and what kind of superiority they have over European actors. They are good at dancing and singing, and their physical culture, diction and voice, is wonderful. Being a wonderful united and disciplined group, each of them has his/her own individuality as well. They feel their parts and control the audience.
On the city
We arrived in Astana for four days. Despite coming for the first time, everything seems quite familiar to us as our ancestors used to live in the territory of present-day Kazakhstan. Out theatre is Hungarian, yet we come from Serbia. I’m an ethnic Hungarian.
The fact is that the Hungarians are one of the minorities living in Serbia, so there’s a Hungarian theater just like the Korean and German ones in Kazakhstan.
We came thanks to a good relationship with the head of the Gorky Russian Drama Theater Erkin Tleugazinovich and good fellowship between two stage companies. Last year the company of the Gorky Theater showed a performance based on "Mankurt. Eternal slave" by Chingiz Aitmatov in Serbia.
Your city is developed and modern, even though being 20 years old only. This is incredible! I believe it to be the result of great effort, faith and the unity of your people.
