The Csokonai National Theatre earned three awards at the 2025 National Theatre Meeting. In the competition program, the production of The Puppetmaster by Gilles Ségal brought the Best Supporting Actress award to Kinga Újhelyi, recipient of the Mari Jászai Prize, while Anikó Németh was honored as Best Costume Designer.
As in previous years, the Association of Rural Theatre Directors awarded scholarships to young, talented actors. Among the 15 selected artists was Bence Pálóczi, a member of the Csokonai company. It was also announced at the award ceremony that the next edition of the National Theatre Meeting will be hosted by the Csokonai National Theatre in Debrecen, one year from now.
For the second consecutive year, a Csokonai production was invited to the competition program of the National Theatre Meeting. This year, the Debrecen company presented The Puppetmaster, a tragicomedy by Gilles Ségal. Co-produced with Maladype Theatre and directed by Zoltán Balázs, a Mari Jászai Prize-winning director, the play is set in 1950 and tells the story of Samuel Finkelbaum, a world-renowned puppeteer and Birkenau survivor living in Berlin. Despite repeated attempts to convince him otherwise, Finkelbaum refuses to believe the war is over and continues to hide. Confined in a boarding house, he lives with the puppet representations of his wife — who perished in a concentration camp — and their unborn child, while preparing for the performance of a lifetime: The Tragicomic Life of Samuel Finkelbaum.
Kinga Újhelyi’s portrayal of the boarding house owner earned her the Best Female Performer award, while the Best Costume award also went to the Debrecen production, recognizing the work of Anikó Németh.
Bence Pálóczi, from the Csokonai company, received a scholarship from the Association of Rural Theatre Directors, which supports promising young actors. It was also revealed that in 2026, the National Theatre Meeting will be hosted by the Csokonai National Theatre during its milestone 160th season.
“These recognitions are outstanding affirmations of the high-quality professional work taking place at the Csokonai National Theatre. Congratulations to all award recipients. We will do everything we can to be worthy hosts of the National Theatre Meeting during our 160th jubilee season,”
said Szabolcs Mátyássy, Director of the Csokonai National Theatre.
The next performance of The Puppetmaster by Gilles Ségal will take place in Kisvárda, at the 37th Festival of Hungarian Theatres, on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. The play will also be part of the Csokonai National Theatre’s 2025/26 season.
Photo: Facebook / Csokonai National Theatre / Vera Éder
