The French Circus Academy’s (CNAC) exam performance, Urban Rabbits, was directed by internationally renowned Krétakör director Árpád Schilling this year. Before jumping on the ‘Purchase tickets’ link, read what Árpád had to say about the project.
How did you get involved in the project?
I was invited by CNAC years ago to direct the exam performance of the 21st class.
What’s the performance all about?
Made up of two parts, Urban Rabbit kicks off with a medley of our reproduction rituals then contemplates the different forms of loneliness. Dark and more hopeful scenes follow each other. The viewer has a feeling that the artists might fail and fall, both literally and connotatively. Rabbits naturally represent humans trying to find their ways in life; they think, they experience. Man and woman, nothing new. Maybe only that in the middle of all the cheating and self-cheating, it’s possible to be ourselves through being part of a community.
You were invited to direct the production. What attracted you to the project?
I’ve never worked with circus artists before. That’s why I wanted to dive into this project. Later I found out that they had never worked with a theater director before, either. So our work was full of surprises.
What relationship do you see between the theater and the circus and their respective performers?
Traditionally, theater wants to provoke thoughts, while circus aims to enchant. The former operates mainly with words, the latter works with moves. Theater refers to reality through illusion; circus uses physical reality to push us to the world of illusion. The common denominator is unrepeatability, meaning that we shiver together with the audience from the mystery of the present moment.
What new directional avenues has the project taken you in?
I’d like to work with more circus artists, as I found this genre to be the only one capable of forcing us to face the ever-luring danger in our lives. What I’m interested in is not the glossy-colorful side, but the acrobats appearing on stage as costume-less, simple humans. The involvement of dedicated circus artists to the Krétakör projects would give a new momentum to the new channel of expression I’m researching.
What’s been your biggest challenge during the project?
I needed to learn how to trust these students. There’s a huge difference between working with actors and working with acrobats. While actors often get hurt emotionally, acrobats might get hurt physically. And trust me, a head injury you suffer when you fall from three meters takes a long time to heal…
What’s next for you?
In August, we’ll work in two villages where the gypsy-Hungarian issue causes serious problems. Joining forces with the Káva Cultural Workshop, we aim to come up with an educational theater play. In some respects, it seems to be the biggest challenge in my whole life so far.
Urban Rabbits by CNAC
June 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27 at 8 p.m.
Fővárosi Nagycirkusz
1146 Budapest, Állatkerti Körút 12/a.
Tel.: +36.1.343.8300
Tickets: 2,800 HUF or 3,800 HUF at the door, at www.jegy.hu or the national network of Interticket