A prominent company of 20th century Hungarian puppetry Astra Puppet Company celebrates its 70th anniversary. The ensemble, led by Piarist priest and teacher László Vízvári, functioned as an innovator in both its choice of themes and puppeting techniques. Over the past 70 years, the Company has enjoyed considerable success both in Hungary and abroad. In their capacity as performers at the famous Hungarian Talent Show “Who Knows What?” in 1968 and later in the Hungarian children’s tale “Dragon Süsü”, the Company gained nation-wide recognition. This exhibition is made complete with a summary-purpose showcasing of 30 years of work by Maszk Puppet Theatre, which also functions as a guarantee to the continuity of this highly-recognised puppeteering tradition. Through the world of puppets, the audience of this exhibition will be able to explore the worlds of the following fields: classical music, literature, folk tales, legends, the circus and Biblical stories.

Organisers: Hungarian Museum and Institute of Theatre History, Maszk Puppet Theatre, Csili Cultural Centre, Hungarian Section of the Piarist Order, Hungarian Academy of Arts

Featured image: Mária Szilágyi: Scene from the performance “The Magicians’ Helpers” by Astra Puppet Company