The Vojtina Puppet Theatre has officially kicked off its landmark 50th season. The rehearsal process for the first two premieres began on August 18, and at a season announcement press conference on Wednesday, Anikó Asbóth, the theatre’s director and a founding member, formally announced the official news from the spring: Terka Láposi will take over as director on January 1, 2026. Asbóth will continue to support the Vojtina as a consultant and puppeteer.
“This 50-year season has been much more than just work. It has been a calling, joy, struggle, play, and teaching—for others, but first and foremost for myself. I have learned that the puppet, no matter how small or simple, can live and can teach us how to live. And if we ask the right questions, it will answer,” said Anikó Asbóth. She also highlighted that the situation with the theatre’s Kossuth Street venue seems to be resolved, as renovations to the public areas will begin soon. In connection with this, István Puskás, the city’s deputy mayor for culture, stated that the municipality of Debrecen is working to find a more suitable location for the István Tisza exhibition currently on the first floor, which would be better for both the exhibition and the theatre.
The series of premieres will continue in January with Tristan and Isolde, a blend of puppet and physical theatre directed by Domokos Kovács, for audiences aged 14 and up.
To mark the 100th birthday of Henrik Kemény, the theatre announced a competition last year for new plays featuring the character of Vitéz László. The theatre’s artistic leadership selected Orsolya Nagy’s drama Vitéz László and the Seven Lessons of Death. The play will be dramatized by the author herself and directed by András Veres.
Another production for those over 14 is Same, but Different – Our Contemporary, Romeo and Juliet, an immersive theatre performance directed by Géza Kovács, in collaboration with the Csokonai Theatre and the Kodály Philharmonia.
The popular Babusgató baby theatre program, which has been successful for decades, will be expanded with two new shows: A doboz (The Box), a musical and interactive play by Krisztina Nyirkó and Dániel Nizsai for ages 3 months to 3 years, and at the end of the season, Fogódzó (Handhold), also for the youngest audience, directed by Anna Markó-Valentyik. Many successful shows from last season will remain in the repertoire, including favorites like The Witch of the Hallway Closet, Vitéz László in Mill Mayhem, The Three-Pronged Oak Tree Fairy, the heroes of Hoppláda, Fanka and her family from A Tale of the Bird’s Nest, the particularly sensitive protagonist of Emma’s Silence, and the adult favorite, Dragon King. They will also be reviving their 2017 hit musical fairytale, The Salt, directed by Ágnes Kuthy.
In the small theatre, alongside The Tale of Everything, Nothing, and Other Strange Tales, kids can enjoy The Ugly Little Girl, The Fawn Called Love, and The Story of the Miracle Sword. In keeping with tradition, the series of ritual theatre shows connected to folk holidays will play an important role this year, as will the Babusgató baby theatre sessions.
Evelin Csarkó, a small theatre actress, has left the company. Joining the puppeteers for the new season are two university students, Anna Viktória Dömötör and Flóra Novák, along with actor Csongor Ábel Csiky.
Photos: Krisztina Csatáry-Nagy
