Northern Theatre Harag György Company

The multi-day event was rich in events, from a scientific conference to a gala celebration, and included a programme of recent popular lectures. In addition to the large local audience, former members and critics from all over the country and even abroad also attended the event.

On the first day, an art exhibition entitled Faces of the Theatre was opened in the Tradesman's Home, where the public could see works of art depicting actors and theatre workers. As Mayor Kereskényi Gábor said in his opening speech, ”The 70th anniversary is an important milestone in the life of the company, but also a defining era in the 234-year history of professional Hungarian theatre in Satu Mare.”
Film screenings included portraits of Czintos József, Harag György and Méhes Kati, and the company also screened the 2020 theatre production whose premiere and performance was prevented by the crown virus epidemic - The Death of a Salesman was also the last role of Czintos József, the former director and honorary member of the company.

The former members who came to Satu Mare were able to see a representative selection of recent performances: in the Ács Alajos Studio, the performances ”The Cripple of Inishmaan”, ”...and I will pass away, who have happened...”, Ács Alajos memorial evening, ”Chaos” and ”Interactive” were on the programme. On the main stage, the audience could see productions of ”The Misanthrope or the Shop Window”, ”Amphiotryon”, ”My Fair Lady” and ”Fiddler on the Roof”.

An exhibition of photographs of performances from the founding of the Theatre to the change of regime was also opened in the corridors of the Northern Theatre Satu Mare, and in the lobby, photographs of more recent performances were on display. There is also an exhibition of posters next to the stairs, recalling more than two centuries of Hungarian theatre in Satu Mare - up to the present day.
” I believe that our theatre founders did not struggle in vain to create this company - and then to move to Satu Mare and serve this wonderful audience. That Csíky András 's quietly protesting resignation was not in vain. Ács Alajos' dignified martyrdom as director (when a theatre founder was sacrificed on the altar of political interest after a decade of persistent work), Parászka Miklós' stubborn yet excellent diplomatic work. The struggle of actors when the water in the dressing room toilets froze, when power cuts interrupted their performances, when they were observed, reported and denounced, when they were threatened! The musician who was tortured in the basement of the secret police, but was allowed to leave to play that day's performance thanks to the intervention of Ács Alajos. I could go on and on, I could go on and on” - this was said by the company director Bessenyei Gedő István at the gala held as part of the festive programme.

The gala performance featured performances by past and present members, volunteers and dancers of the company, and was also the occasion for the nomination of the honorary members elected by the company's artistic council: Lőrincz Ágnes, Manfrédi Annamária, Kilyén László, Gabriela Tănase, Diószeghy Iván, Miklós Tamara, Fornwald László, Lőricz Erika, Török József and Zákány Mihály.

The gala was followed by a candle-lighting ceremony: in front of the theatre building, current and former members of the company remembered the members of the company by collecting candles in front of the photos of the deceased members. The 70th anniversary programme featured the Brighella Puppet Theatre, and the Celebration of Poetry in Red Hat Yard. Among other things, the event included a poetry-related gastronomic feast, slam poetry and a KAF commemoration.

Kovács András Ferenc was commemorated with a concert by the Transylvanian Bú Boys. In the lyrical concert of Jack Cole's songs, the audience could listen to poems set to music by the Kossuth Prize-winning poet, born in Satu Mare, who was the "child of the company" through his parents.

A slightly different insight into the 70-year history of the György Harag Society was given at the academic conference entitled The Histories of the Harag György Company, where Bessenyei Gedő István, Ungvári Zrínyi Ildikó, Adorjáni Panna, Böjthe Alex, Bekő-Fóri Zenkő, Albert Mária and János Szabolcs gave presentations.