Night of Literature with the artists of Vígtheatre2022. 05. 18.
The Night of Literature has become an unmissable cultural event of the summer. From 1 to 3 June, the city and world literature will once again be meeting in the green heart of Budapest, on Margaret Island, for three evenings of literature. During the evenings, excerpts from the works of 25 authors from 25 countries will be read by distinguished actors of the Vígtheatre in locations on the island not necessarily connected with literature, many of which are restricted to the public.
The texts, representing the many nuances of the world literary palette, are brought to life by the performers of the Vígszínház. The theatre's main objective is to actively engage with audiences through a balance of value and popularity. The director of the Vígszínház, Péter Rudolf, said: 'In our theatre, every night is a night of literature, because drama is also an integral part of the great miracle we call literature. [...] we are looking for a link, a bridge to the literature of other countries.'
Every year, the event moves to a new part of Budapest to draw attention not only to the literary experience but also to the city's other cultural specificities. Among the 8 (and 9 on day 3) unusual venues is the top floor of the Water Tower, where visitors can enjoy a bird's-eye view of the city. The Wesselényi Boathouse of the Danubius National Boat Club, with its authentic Danube atmosphere (the last floating boathouse of its kind in the country) and its clubhouse are mainly open to members only. The St Michael's Chapel, built on the remains of Budapest's oldest Romanesque monument, which only opens its doors once a week for mass, is another less accessible site, as is the dandelion-filled Children's Camp on Margaret Island. The Palatinus beach, the Margaret Island Athletics Centre and the Small Zoo are an unusual pairing for literature. The surprise location on the third day is a mobile community space: Jonas - The fish, that knows everything. The unique look of this design trailer and its special interior evoke the body of a boat, sailboat or boat, the stomach of a whale.
According to Gergely Karácsony, Mayor of Budapest and patron of the event, "Margaret Island is a symbolic place, which will be literary. But just as Margaret Island is linked by the Margaret Bridge and the Árpád Bridge to the two banks of the Danube, Buda and Pest, literature is a bridge between people and cultures - islands."
The readings, which will take place in parallel at the venues and will be repeated every half hour, can be listened to in any order you like: you can plan your own literary itinerary for the day using the map available at the venues and on the event website. The last reading starts at 22:30.
New colours for the literary palette
For the first time this year, the Night of Literature program will be enriched with a Ukrainian literary item. "The least we could do as organisers in response to the war going on nearby was to invite our neighbours as guests of honour." - stressed Adéla Gálová, director of the Czech Centre and project manager of the Night of Literature. Asian literature, sometimes exotic for Hungarian readers, will be evoked for the first time this year by a South Korean excerpt alongside the Japanese text.
This year, accessibility will again be highlighted. On each of the three days, there will be a reading with a sign language interpreter for the deaf and hard of hearing. Information on the locations accessible to people with reduced mobility is available in the programme booklet. Registered blind and visually impaired visitors will be accompanied to the readings by a group of volunteers.
The first Night of Literature took place in Prague in 2006 and was initiated in Hungary by the Czech Centre in Budapest. The Night of Literature was initially a one-day event, but in 2020 it will be extended to a three-night programme. Since 2019, in addition to Budapest, Debrecen has also been hosting the readings in a special atmosphere. The project is organised by EUNIC Hungary (the umbrella organisation of the cultural departments of European cultural institutes and embassies in Budapest).
Participation in the programme is free of charge and does not require prior registration. More details can be found on the event's website and Facebook page.
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