Post by Cia on Jul 10, 2009 4:03:20 GMT -5
I've seen the Hungarian production of Tanz der Vampire now altogether, um, 12 times. The latest performances were in June 2009. I wrote a review back in January 2008 when I saw it the first time, and for the most part I still agree with the review, but things have changed and improved since that and new actors have joined the cast so I thought I should write a new summary of why I love the production.
Kentaur's sets and costumes are the most beautiful I've seen. Not Disney-like, no gingerbread houses on this stage, but like in a dark and gothic fairytale, and exactly as that I see the musical. On the same time they're also very authentic and natural, they've for example added some Hungarian folk dancing into the village choreographies and Krolock's and Herbert's costumes are made in the Hungarian/Transylvanian style.
In general I could say about the cast that if you have heard them on the official recording or seen them in the beginning of the production, they have improved tons after that. The recording tells nothing of what the production is like nowadays. The acting is honestly the best I've ever seen on stage, the singing is splendid and everyone has so much fun on stage that the atmosphere in the theatre can't be described with words. Everyone is so natural, funny, relaxed, their acting full of details and hidden meanings and whatnot and you just don't get bored with watching them. I'm addicted to the production, in a way that makes me wonder how I'm going to survive when they won't perform this winter and I can't see them until possibly next summer.
Géza Egyházi - Count von Krolock: Slowly Géza has climbed past the other Krolocks to become my number one vampire actor. He doesn't even seem to breathe, the voice just comes out of somewhere and almost breaks the theatre's ancient crappy sound systems and brings the balcony down with its power. Yet it can be soft, velvety, tender, seducing. He really thinks about what he sings, and it brings so much emotion into his acting and singing.
He's also the first Krolock I've seen who definitely has fun. He gets huge kicks of having a cloak and fangs, he keeps grinning at Alfred and the Professor, he's enjoying himself for being the powerful creature who can fool these people and spin them in his web and seduce their girl just like that. This Krolock also enjoys the ball immensely. He may be the respected boss, but somewhere there's also the boy who just likes to dance, interact with guests and have fun. You can easily see where Herbert has gotten his enthusiasm. In Einladung zum Ball Krolock comes into the bathroom with this great "Hello, baby, look who's here!" cloak swish, tries to seduce the bathroom door and later in Vor dem schloss has good chemistry with the sponge. Not to mention the Sarahs. Lately he's gotten more gropy in Totale Finsternis, though still in a very subtle and gentlemanly way. And I adore the way he almost kisses Sarah in Tanzsaal, right before he suddenly lowers his head and bites her instead. Their lips almost touch, and he has this look in his eyes, a bit like "I could do this and I'd like to, but we're the centre of attention now and I'm expected to do this instead. So wait until the guests are gone, honey."
He also looks d**n good as Krolock. Big respects for the make-up people & Kentaur for turning a curly-haired nerd into a seducingly beautiful vampire count. Not that I wouldn't like him as the nerd as well, he just doesn't look very hot-vampire-count like in real life and the contrast is quite interesting.
Zsanett Andrádi - Sarah: My favourite Sarah ever. She's quite playful but still knows what she wants and is going to get it. Meanwhile it's okay for her to play with this nice boy as well. Her voice is stunning, her long notes could just last and last and she could probably sing the whole thing acoustic.
She's also pretty in the village girl way, not too doll-like and not too beautiful, but realistic and pretty.
Nikolett Kovács - Sarah: I saw Nikolett the first time this summer, before this it has always been Zsanett. I loved Nikolett's acting, she had this ongoing flood of detailed expressions and gestures going on on her. Her Sarah is very flirty and girlish, she's all "Yay there's a cute boy and see what all I can do with my sponge and whoa what a man on my bathtub!" and squees over her new boots and dress. I loved the way she shaked the boots&scarf bundle against her ear to get a sneak peek of what's inside before opening it, a bit like an excited child does with Christmas presents when no one is watching. Mind you, her Sarah still has brains and she can be as determined and mature as anyone. Her voice isn't as strong as I'd hope it to be, but she still sings nicely.
Dóra Stróbel - Sarah: She was quite different from what I've used to, but the portrayal was interesting and worked well. Her voice is amazing. I did like her better as Magda, but I have no complaints with her Sarah either, especially if she gets better into the role. I don't know if she has ever played Sarah before, but this summer she was apparently some emergency choice because she wasn't even supposed to be in the production anymore. But she was wonderful, very determined with everything she did, and sometimes it seemed almost like she had planned the whole vampire-bites-me thing just to get outta here. In the end of Totale Finsternis she looked for a moment like she'd roll her eyes and press Krolock's teeth on her neck just because men never get on with it and you have to do everything by yourself if you want it done well. You can see she is Rebecca's daughter, I halfway expected her to hit Krolock with a salami. She also looked very believable as the inn daughter, not too strikingly beautiful but a pretty girl, and the change into a confident lady in Tanzsaal was stunning.
László Sánta - Alfred: I'm afraid I haven't got much to say about him, except that he simply is Alfred, and nowadays one of my favourite actors in general. He's an excellent comical talent, has great voice and great chemistry with everyone, and I adore him. He's the Alfred I've seen most times on stage and he has never let me down.
György Mihálka - Alfred: OMG he's cute! He's 20, small and adorable, looks like a 16-year-old, has this lovely curly hair that everyone on stage and behind it wants to play with, and he can honestly outsing every other Alfred I've ever heard. My jaw probably dropped the moment when I watched this little thin boy let out one hell of a "Saaaaraaaaah!" in the end of Für Sarah. A hidden pair of lungs somewhere, and still he doesn't shout, the singing just comes from somewhere. I don't drool over him, even I feel I'm too old to do that legally, but he's purely adorable. And did I mention the voice? This Alfred is very very very innocent and for a moment I feared that Sarah or Herbert would eat him alive, but he somehow manages to survive and find some inner strength when really needed. In the end the change into a vampire is very fascinating, like watching a puppy turn into a Monster Puppy.
Ádám Pásztor - Alfred: Another small, innocent and cute Alfred, this time only 19. Something in his looks bothers me, but he can't help it and his acting and singing are wonderful so I don't complain. I don't know where they keep finding these Alfreds. I saw him in his first performance ever, the premiere of the summer season where he wasn't originally even supposed to be, and already in that performance he was stunning.
Tibor Héger - Alfred: There's bound to be an exception to every rule, and in the rule of Hungarians acting wonderfully, Tibor is definitely the exception. He does only what is said in the script, and the rest of the time he just stands with a-smiling-deer-in-the-headlights expression on his face. He doesn't react to anything the other actors do if it doesn't belong to the script, he just is. He's also a bit too heroic and confident, he knows how to handle girls and what to do with them and in general he's just the pretty hero boy and d**n boring and not Alfred-ish at all. He's not believable in the crypt scene, unless you see him as a pathetic coward who wants everyone to believe he's tough but when he's really supposed to do something he turns into a wailing baby.
Tibor is also a good example on how important a good Alfred actually is in the musical. Most of the comic moments are on Alfred's shoulders in one way or another, and if the Alfred doesn't act or react to for example what the professor does, a big part of the musical's humour ceases to exist. At some point the other actors seemed to get frustrated and just quit trying to do anything special, because they didn't get any response from Tibor. I hope I won't see him again, he was annoying as hell.
Dávid Pirgel - Herbert: One of my favourite Herberts ever, definitely. Enthusiastic, boyish, flirty and hilarious. Especially I love him in Tanzsaal, he's all bored when daddy is showing off with this new boring girl, plays with the candle while all the fuss about the biting, cleans his nails and rolls his eyes, and then when daddy starts the dance, Herbert goes "SQUEE!" and kidnaps the nearest vampire (who happens to look like Crown Prince Rudolf). Herbert is probably a bit jealous for Sarah, worried that the girl looks prettier than he does because he should definitely be the queen of the ball. Dávid has excellent chemistry with Géza!Krolock, they're just like father and son and have loads of interaction especially in Tanzsaal. Géza clearly wants the son to watch how things should be really done, preferably with a girl, but on the same time he seems to accept the son's preferences and would gladly give a gift-wrapped Alfred to him to make him happy.
Máté Kamarás - Herbert: Máté was a confusing experience. When I saw him in the cast list for the first time, I fully expected him to be a very manly and playful and confident Herbert who takes Alfred by the hand and drags him into the nearest broom cupboard. Instead I was shown a playful but a very young, innocent and sweet Herbert. I would have never believed that they could make him look and feel so young. In the end of first act he's all "Daddy, you brought me a present! I love you daddy!" and seems genuinely astonished that Alfred doesn't want to be bitten. He's downright insulted when Professor comes and interrupts him, because he never meant any harm, he was just happy and wanted to play this nice boy and daddy daddy the old man took away my candy! This might well be Herbert's first ball, and he's worried that Sarah will steal all the attention. At least once he was actually disgusted when Krolock bit Sarah, either in the "Eww, a girl!" or then "Eww, daddy, get a room!" way.
Viktor Posta - Herbert: He's good, with great acting and all and there's nothing wrong with him, but somehow I'm just not as interested in his Herbert as in the others. He has a bit too masculine features for my liking, though of course he can't help it. I don't complain when I see him on the cast list, especially nowadays because last time he was better than ever.
Csaba Jegercsik and Dávid Sándor - Professor Abronsius: Both equally energetic, hilarious, bouncy and adorable. They do a little dance in Wahrheit, they add loads of improvisation and Alfred/Professor dialogue and weird details in the crypt scene so that every performance is different, and I so wish I could understand Hungarian. After seeing the concerts in Vienna I thought I'd always miss the genial Gernot Kranner as Professor, but these two are at least as good as he.
Tímea Kecskés, Éva Sári and Dóra Stróbel - Magda: Tímea has been in most performances I've seen, and while she is your basic good Magda and has a great voice, she's always similar and after one or two performances you already know what she's going to do or look like next. In comparison with the general detailed Hungarian acting going on around her she's a bit boring, and she's also a bit too fragile to be a Magda I like. Éva Sári joined the cast this summer and I enjoyed her performance more than Tímea's. Dóra Stróbel is again great, definitely one of my favourite Magdas. The two are stronger and have more feeling and also attitude in them.
Gábor Attila Farkas - Koukol: I never believed I could fangirl Koukol, but I do. Because this Koukol has personality, and a sweet personality it is. He has a lot to say, he keeps muttering to himself all the time and it makes me wish I could understand what he says outside the libretto, because judging by the audience's reactions it's something very funny. Koukol also adores Sarah. When Alfred hears Herbert sing in the castle and thinks it's Sarah, we are shortly shown how Koukol helps Sarah to get into her ballgown, and those two seem to have fun with each other and like each other very much. Not in the dirty way, this Koukol could never think that about Sarah. He's a goofy puppy who adores Sarah as his owner, and he's clearly very proud of being allowed to help her look pretty. I wouldn't wonder if he had sewn the ballgown as well. In Tanzsaal he opens the doors to present Sarah, and even then Sarah pats him on head and grins at him before concentrating on vampires. Koukol is simply adorable, not just an ugly mean servant like usually.
Béla Pavletits and Gábor Bot - Chagal: Most of the times I've seen Béla. I never thought I'd watch "Eine schöne Tochter ist ein Segen" and not be a bit bored, but again Hungarians managed to surprise me. Suddenly I like the scene, suddenly I like Chagal!
Gábor is more like the Chagal in the original movie, he plays the role rarely and had occasionally troubles in deciding if he's an old perv or a virile middle-aged man, but in the end he luckily ended up with the latter.
Kinga Csoka-Vasass - Rebecca: She's a new cast member and definitely takes everything out of the role. I'm especially fascinated by the way she hits Chagal and then climbs over him into her side of bed. Looks dirty. I liked Judit Dobos better, but then again she had had more time to develop the role.
So, yeah, go and see the production if you have a chance.
Kentaur's sets and costumes are the most beautiful I've seen. Not Disney-like, no gingerbread houses on this stage, but like in a dark and gothic fairytale, and exactly as that I see the musical. On the same time they're also very authentic and natural, they've for example added some Hungarian folk dancing into the village choreographies and Krolock's and Herbert's costumes are made in the Hungarian/Transylvanian style.
In general I could say about the cast that if you have heard them on the official recording or seen them in the beginning of the production, they have improved tons after that. The recording tells nothing of what the production is like nowadays. The acting is honestly the best I've ever seen on stage, the singing is splendid and everyone has so much fun on stage that the atmosphere in the theatre can't be described with words. Everyone is so natural, funny, relaxed, their acting full of details and hidden meanings and whatnot and you just don't get bored with watching them. I'm addicted to the production, in a way that makes me wonder how I'm going to survive when they won't perform this winter and I can't see them until possibly next summer.
Géza Egyházi - Count von Krolock: Slowly Géza has climbed past the other Krolocks to become my number one vampire actor. He doesn't even seem to breathe, the voice just comes out of somewhere and almost breaks the theatre's ancient crappy sound systems and brings the balcony down with its power. Yet it can be soft, velvety, tender, seducing. He really thinks about what he sings, and it brings so much emotion into his acting and singing.
He's also the first Krolock I've seen who definitely has fun. He gets huge kicks of having a cloak and fangs, he keeps grinning at Alfred and the Professor, he's enjoying himself for being the powerful creature who can fool these people and spin them in his web and seduce their girl just like that. This Krolock also enjoys the ball immensely. He may be the respected boss, but somewhere there's also the boy who just likes to dance, interact with guests and have fun. You can easily see where Herbert has gotten his enthusiasm. In Einladung zum Ball Krolock comes into the bathroom with this great "Hello, baby, look who's here!" cloak swish, tries to seduce the bathroom door and later in Vor dem schloss has good chemistry with the sponge. Not to mention the Sarahs. Lately he's gotten more gropy in Totale Finsternis, though still in a very subtle and gentlemanly way. And I adore the way he almost kisses Sarah in Tanzsaal, right before he suddenly lowers his head and bites her instead. Their lips almost touch, and he has this look in his eyes, a bit like "I could do this and I'd like to, but we're the centre of attention now and I'm expected to do this instead. So wait until the guests are gone, honey."
He also looks d**n good as Krolock. Big respects for the make-up people & Kentaur for turning a curly-haired nerd into a seducingly beautiful vampire count. Not that I wouldn't like him as the nerd as well, he just doesn't look very hot-vampire-count like in real life and the contrast is quite interesting.
Zsanett Andrádi - Sarah: My favourite Sarah ever. She's quite playful but still knows what she wants and is going to get it. Meanwhile it's okay for her to play with this nice boy as well. Her voice is stunning, her long notes could just last and last and she could probably sing the whole thing acoustic.
She's also pretty in the village girl way, not too doll-like and not too beautiful, but realistic and pretty.Nikolett Kovács - Sarah: I saw Nikolett the first time this summer, before this it has always been Zsanett. I loved Nikolett's acting, she had this ongoing flood of detailed expressions and gestures going on on her. Her Sarah is very flirty and girlish, she's all "Yay there's a cute boy and see what all I can do with my sponge and whoa what a man on my bathtub!" and squees over her new boots and dress. I loved the way she shaked the boots&scarf bundle against her ear to get a sneak peek of what's inside before opening it, a bit like an excited child does with Christmas presents when no one is watching. Mind you, her Sarah still has brains and she can be as determined and mature as anyone. Her voice isn't as strong as I'd hope it to be, but she still sings nicely.
Dóra Stróbel - Sarah: She was quite different from what I've used to, but the portrayal was interesting and worked well. Her voice is amazing. I did like her better as Magda, but I have no complaints with her Sarah either, especially if she gets better into the role. I don't know if she has ever played Sarah before, but this summer she was apparently some emergency choice because she wasn't even supposed to be in the production anymore. But she was wonderful, very determined with everything she did, and sometimes it seemed almost like she had planned the whole vampire-bites-me thing just to get outta here. In the end of Totale Finsternis she looked for a moment like she'd roll her eyes and press Krolock's teeth on her neck just because men never get on with it and you have to do everything by yourself if you want it done well. You can see she is Rebecca's daughter, I halfway expected her to hit Krolock with a salami.
She also looked very believable as the inn daughter, not too strikingly beautiful but a pretty girl, and the change into a confident lady in Tanzsaal was stunning.László Sánta - Alfred: I'm afraid I haven't got much to say about him, except that he simply is Alfred, and nowadays one of my favourite actors in general. He's an excellent comical talent, has great voice and great chemistry with everyone, and I adore him. He's the Alfred I've seen most times on stage and he has never let me down.
György Mihálka - Alfred: OMG he's cute! He's 20, small and adorable, looks like a 16-year-old, has this lovely curly hair that everyone on stage and behind it wants to play with, and he can honestly outsing every other Alfred I've ever heard. My jaw probably dropped the moment when I watched this little thin boy let out one hell of a "Saaaaraaaaah!" in the end of Für Sarah. A hidden pair of lungs somewhere, and still he doesn't shout, the singing just comes from somewhere. I don't drool over him, even I feel I'm too old to do that legally, but he's purely adorable. And did I mention the voice? This Alfred is very very very innocent and for a moment I feared that Sarah or Herbert would eat him alive, but he somehow manages to survive and find some inner strength when really needed. In the end the change into a vampire is very fascinating, like watching a puppy turn into a Monster Puppy.
Ádám Pásztor - Alfred: Another small, innocent and cute Alfred, this time only 19. Something in his looks bothers me, but he can't help it and his acting and singing are wonderful so I don't complain. I don't know where they keep finding these Alfreds. I saw him in his first performance ever, the premiere of the summer season where he wasn't originally even supposed to be, and already in that performance he was stunning.
Tibor Héger - Alfred: There's bound to be an exception to every rule, and in the rule of Hungarians acting wonderfully, Tibor is definitely the exception. He does only what is said in the script, and the rest of the time he just stands with a-smiling-deer-in-the-headlights expression on his face. He doesn't react to anything the other actors do if it doesn't belong to the script, he just is. He's also a bit too heroic and confident, he knows how to handle girls and what to do with them and in general he's just the pretty hero boy and d**n boring and not Alfred-ish at all. He's not believable in the crypt scene, unless you see him as a pathetic coward who wants everyone to believe he's tough but when he's really supposed to do something he turns into a wailing baby.
Tibor is also a good example on how important a good Alfred actually is in the musical. Most of the comic moments are on Alfred's shoulders in one way or another, and if the Alfred doesn't act or react to for example what the professor does, a big part of the musical's humour ceases to exist. At some point the other actors seemed to get frustrated and just quit trying to do anything special, because they didn't get any response from Tibor. I hope I won't see him again, he was annoying as hell.
Dávid Pirgel - Herbert: One of my favourite Herberts ever, definitely. Enthusiastic, boyish, flirty and hilarious. Especially I love him in Tanzsaal, he's all bored when daddy is showing off with this new boring girl, plays with the candle while all the fuss about the biting, cleans his nails and rolls his eyes, and then when daddy starts the dance, Herbert goes "SQUEE!" and kidnaps the nearest vampire (who happens to look like Crown Prince Rudolf). Herbert is probably a bit jealous for Sarah, worried that the girl looks prettier than he does because he should definitely be the queen of the ball. Dávid has excellent chemistry with Géza!Krolock, they're just like father and son and have loads of interaction especially in Tanzsaal. Géza clearly wants the son to watch how things should be really done, preferably with a girl, but on the same time he seems to accept the son's preferences and would gladly give a gift-wrapped Alfred to him to make him happy.
Máté Kamarás - Herbert: Máté was a confusing experience. When I saw him in the cast list for the first time, I fully expected him to be a very manly and playful and confident Herbert who takes Alfred by the hand and drags him into the nearest broom cupboard. Instead I was shown a playful but a very young, innocent and sweet Herbert. I would have never believed that they could make him look and feel so young. In the end of first act he's all "Daddy, you brought me a present! I love you daddy!" and seems genuinely astonished that Alfred doesn't want to be bitten. He's downright insulted when Professor comes and interrupts him, because he never meant any harm, he was just happy and wanted to play this nice boy and daddy daddy the old man took away my candy! This might well be Herbert's first ball, and he's worried that Sarah will steal all the attention. At least once he was actually disgusted when Krolock bit Sarah, either in the "Eww, a girl!" or then "Eww, daddy, get a room!" way.
Viktor Posta - Herbert: He's good, with great acting and all and there's nothing wrong with him, but somehow I'm just not as interested in his Herbert as in the others. He has a bit too masculine features for my liking, though of course he can't help it. I don't complain when I see him on the cast list, especially nowadays because last time he was better than ever.
Csaba Jegercsik and Dávid Sándor - Professor Abronsius: Both equally energetic, hilarious, bouncy and adorable. They do a little dance in Wahrheit, they add loads of improvisation and Alfred/Professor dialogue and weird details in the crypt scene so that every performance is different, and I so wish I could understand Hungarian. After seeing the concerts in Vienna I thought I'd always miss the genial Gernot Kranner as Professor, but these two are at least as good as he.
Tímea Kecskés, Éva Sári and Dóra Stróbel - Magda: Tímea has been in most performances I've seen, and while she is your basic good Magda and has a great voice, she's always similar and after one or two performances you already know what she's going to do or look like next. In comparison with the general detailed Hungarian acting going on around her she's a bit boring, and she's also a bit too fragile to be a Magda I like. Éva Sári joined the cast this summer and I enjoyed her performance more than Tímea's. Dóra Stróbel is again great, definitely one of my favourite Magdas. The two are stronger and have more feeling and also attitude in them.
Gábor Attila Farkas - Koukol: I never believed I could fangirl Koukol, but I do. Because this Koukol has personality, and a sweet personality it is. He has a lot to say, he keeps muttering to himself all the time and it makes me wish I could understand what he says outside the libretto, because judging by the audience's reactions it's something very funny. Koukol also adores Sarah. When Alfred hears Herbert sing in the castle and thinks it's Sarah, we are shortly shown how Koukol helps Sarah to get into her ballgown, and those two seem to have fun with each other and like each other very much. Not in the dirty way, this Koukol could never think that about Sarah. He's a goofy puppy who adores Sarah as his owner, and he's clearly very proud of being allowed to help her look pretty. I wouldn't wonder if he had sewn the ballgown as well. In Tanzsaal he opens the doors to present Sarah, and even then Sarah pats him on head and grins at him before concentrating on vampires. Koukol is simply adorable, not just an ugly mean servant like usually.
Béla Pavletits and Gábor Bot - Chagal: Most of the times I've seen Béla. I never thought I'd watch "Eine schöne Tochter ist ein Segen" and not be a bit bored, but again Hungarians managed to surprise me. Suddenly I like the scene, suddenly I like Chagal!
Gábor is more like the Chagal in the original movie, he plays the role rarely and had occasionally troubles in deciding if he's an old perv or a virile middle-aged man, but in the end he luckily ended up with the latter.
Kinga Csoka-Vasass - Rebecca: She's a new cast member and definitely takes everything out of the role. I'm especially fascinated by the way she hits Chagal and then climbs over him into her side of bed. Looks dirty. I liked Judit Dobos better, but then again she had had more time to develop the role.
So, yeah, go and see the production if you have a chance.
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