The Lifeboat Unit was launched in 2014 within the framework of the flagship independent company, Sputnik, led by Viktor Bodó, one of the most successful Hungarian directors in Europe (cf. The Government Inspector). Lifeboat focuses on creating theatre-in-education shows focusing on some of the most burning social issues among young people in Hungary. Through their work they have found that prejudicial thinking seems to prevail among teenagers, as well as discrimination, socially exclusive language and hidden or outspoken racism. From then on it was clear that this should be one of the main focal points of Lifeboat’s work.

Due to a complexity of isssues threatening the independent scene in today’s Hungary Sputnik was dissolved in March 2015, but true to its name The Lifeboat Unit remained operational. Andrea Pass and Gábor Fábián (who’ll take guests to the refugee camp on one of the pre-meeting trips) lead the work as writer-directors.

A story from Hungary, Newworld is set at the end of the last century, in an age when extreme right youths were mostly called skinheads. The performers playing these characters won’t be calling Jews and Gypsies names, they are careful about what they are saying, which makes the adult characters think twice before interfering. Not a good policy, it seems. Being quiet, keeping silent does not seem to be a good policy, though it is often the case in today’s Hungary. This show tries to discuss the issues outspokenly and talks about what is going on in this country these days.

The heroine of the story, Kata is 16, who after her parents’ divorce has to move to the projects with her mother. Coming from a wealthy neighbourhood she is first scared by the youths hanging around her house, but it turns out they are very helpful to her and her mother, which is why she starts opening up to the extreme right thinking they represent despite coming from an enlightened, liberal family. The three youngsters pledge a friendship and let their hurt feelings turn their grievances into hatred and anger against randomly picked subjects. The fight is growing out of proportion, it seems the parents won’t be able to stop Kata any more. Particularly since it turns out that they have been keeping a secret for far too long. The story is set in 1999, when these youths were born.

Performers: Károly Hajduk, Lehel Kovács, Ádám Porogi, Zsófia Szamosi, Dóra Sztarenki
Drama teacher: Gábpr Takács
Assistants to the director: Dalma Sápi, Dóra Tési
Written and directed by: Andrea Pass

"Newworld is a real problem-digesting kind of theatre. It raises the most complex issues in today’s Hungary about prejudices, about the psychology of labeling, about aggression born from grievances, marriage and divorce, the generation gap without ever giving ready answers. It touches the viewer and it provokes him/her intellectually at the same time. (…) It is both an aesthetic experience and a well-founded effort the move the spectator out of his/her passivity."

Pálos Máté, Origó

"To look at 1999 from 2015 is shocking. It tells the story of how an assembly in a cellar of a block of flats turns into a million voters. "

Andrea Tompa, Magyar Narancs

Sponsored by: Dr. Polgár András, Varga Júlia, Valley of the Arts Festival, Summa Artium, Mecénás Nap