This is me (and other things)
Review: Simon Stephens: Pornography
Let’s start my review with a lucky event, after I saw the play I had a lesson with one of the actors from the stage, called Alexis Latham. Although he spoke mostly about Shakespeare, he also added some words about his new work, about Pornography, that made me a bit clear in the plot. The whole story is about real, common people live in London in the 90s. None of them is totally satisfied with his/her life, but tries to get on the days. Several important events happened – for example: the Live 8 concert or the winning of the rights to arrange the Olympic Games 2012 in London –, but they do not take care about them. They have their own life and try to hide it, but they cannot. I think this is why the play is called Pornography… The whole plot is filled with aggression, sadness, hopelessness and selfishness. We often say that terrorists are evils, but according to this work, they are similar to us with similar life, interests and hopelessness.
Convergence in the hard times
Most people are very strange creatures. They are often complaining because of their neighbors, boss or others, and do not want to be connected to somebody else – mainly in financial level –. Somewhere I heard that Hungarians are very pessimistic and their dream is the total independence… I do not really know whether this statement is true or not, but I am sure that we like to be the part of a group, so the individually section as a dream factor is deleted.
But these are not the main points – nowadays people do not get in touch with each other. Let’s take an example: somebody from the house has lost her necklace and asks others for help. The most common sequence is: sorry, but I have to rush. This was the negative example, and I do not want to tell more about this. Let’s be positive and see the other side of the coin.
As I am a real “Tisza-girl”, I saw the silent river’s aggressive face. Several years ago my village was a victim of the greatest flood ever. Fortunately, only a few things were destroyed. In this entry are do not want to describe the financial things, but tell something about a wonderful notion, called convergence. There were a lot of different people from almost all part of the country and also from abroad to help us to provide our homes: men and boys (and also several women) were building gates, others were working in the kitchen or served meals. Everybody did something. As I was a member of the “serving-.team” I could see what was happening outside. One day I was doing my “daily routine” and as I entered to the “Gólyafészek” – where several gypsies live – I saw a group of skinheads working there, and tried to make the gate as safety as it was possible. None of them started to make festival because of the mentioned thing; all of them were working hard like others. This picture will be in my mind forever.
Although; I would wish to have such a big danger it is good to know that we can count to others in trouble – maybe also in the positive things (but is the future). The motto is: CONVERGENCE.
1989...
FOGASHáz – A dream house for dentists?
Don’t worry this is not the latest news from a health care or medical magazine; it is just a short review about a new pub of the Hungarian capital, called FOGASHáz (Bp., VII, Akácfa Str. 51., http://www.fogashaz.hu/ ) We asked one of the “heads” of this place, Ongjerth Dániel, to guide us among the huge walls and tell some stories about this new cultural and entertaining project.
If you catch the metro 2, the tram (4; 6) or a bus and get out by Blaha Lujza tér, you can find yourself easily in the Akácfa Street. After this, you make a longer trip, and after 5 minutes you have to stop in front of an old,building, labeled with a strange logo. If you are afraid of visiting a dentist, you’re partly wrong, because once upon a time a teeth-doc used to live here, but now he is missing; only his heritage remains. So, that was enough from the introductory section. Let’s go inside. Everything is old, sleazy and strange. I cannot find the right words; you should see it… a Hungarian unique… if you are a big romkocsma-fan, you know what I mean, unless you aren’t… give it a fly.
I don’t want to give a step-by-step description; I would only share my feelings. First, you think that you are lost in the ghetto or in the 1950s. Everything is out-of-fashion, the prizes are low
and the electricity is dying… after a while you start to enjoy its atmosphere. People are nice, seats are comfortable, and the music is all right. You are chatting with your old and new friends while drinking no-name wine from a can. Once you find yourself in a small room and watch an exhibition; a few minutes later a movie is starting in the other saloon. It seems to be too much, but you will see it doesn’t. You don’t have to rush in the bath to make your hair and make-up, because people wear casual clothes and behave in quite a certain way. Although, this place is for everybody, the trendy club-faces are missing. Instead of the well-known who-am-I feeling, there is the sense of friendship and comfort. According to Dániel, this pub made for people from 0-100, as there are programs for children, for adults and also for the eldest generation. No matter if you are a student or a mechanics, deaf or healthy, tall or short; you will find your place here.
All in all, if I managed to make you curious, visit the FOGASHáz; but if you think it is not your style… well, you should also go there and prove that I am not right… it will turn out that you has more styles.
The beginnings
Hey Everybody! A new adventure is starting; I became a member of the blogosphere and now I’m trying to do my first steps… (We’ve got a task to create an own blog and try to become real bloggers.) Sooooooooooooooooooooo, let’s take the chance and begin tandita.freeblog.hu. Have a good night :)
P.S.: The link that can be useful: http://budapestbloggers.ning.com :)
