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Between the 28th of January and the 2nd of February, Vojtina Puppet Theatre will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of puppeteer Henrik Kemény with a week-long series of events entitled “Kemény Henrik 100 – The Puppeteer (1925-2025)”. For decades, thousands of children and adults have laughed at the stories of László Vitéz (Hungarian folk puppet figure) in front of the Kossuth Prize-winning puppeteer’s screens, but they have also been able to watch the adventures of many other tale characters.
Henrik Kemény would have turned 100 on 29 January 2025. Henrik Kemény entrusted the entire legacy of the former Kemény Puppet Theatre (1927-2011) to the Korngut-Kemény Foundation, which he established in 2006. He has designated Debrecen as its seat.
One of the most joyous and outstanding events of the 100th anniversary will be the ceremonial opening of the László Vitéz Puppet Space and Visual Art Interactive Puppet Workshop which houses the entire legacy of the Korngut-Kemény family, on the first floor of the Vojtina Puppet Theatre building on Kálvin Square on 29 January at 10.00 a.m.
During the festive week, the new Visual Art Interactive Puppet Workshop will open its doors to visitors on the 29th of January 29th, every hour between 11.00 a.m. and 3.00 pm., on the 30th of January, every hour between 10.00 a.m. and 12.00 p.m., and on the 31st, every hour between 2.00 p.m. and 4.00 p.m. They are waiting for those who are curious about the secrets of the professional storage of puppets and relics. You can register at vojtina@vojtinababszinhaz.hu.
The commemoration will begin on the 28th of January with puppet-making workshops combined with guided tours. After viewing the exhibition entitled “Világközép” (The Center of the World), children can make their own László Vitéz and Devil puppet. The workshops will take place every day between the 28th and the 31st of January from 10.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m., and on the final weekend of the program series, on the 2nd of February from 10 0.00 a.m.
From the 29th to the 31st of January, Dávid Baditz will present the children’s favorite László Vitéz play, Malombonyodalom (Mill complications), every day from 10.00 a.m. in the Szabó Magda Podium Room of the Kossuth Street playhouse.
The exhibition titled “The Grandmaster of Cunning, László Vitéz” by artist and puppet designer Gyula Majoros will be held on the 28th of January from 12.00 p.m. in the public reception spaces on Kossuth Street. Over the past two decades, several artists have designed puppets and screens for fair games. Gyula Majoros is one of those who is a master at designing and implementing this genre. He sculpts the dreamed-up figures himself and makes the screens.
On the 29th of January, the Világközép” (The Center of the World) exhibition will be expanded with new puppets, and will also provide a venue for the birthday commemoration. In addition to the festive program of the puppet theater, the event will feature greetings from Lilla Lovas, museologist of the National Museum and Institute of Theatre History, Géza Kovács, board member of the Korngut-Kemény Foundation, and István Puskás, Deputy Mayor of Debrecen for culture.
The festive week will end with a Family Sunday on the 2nd of February at 10.00 a.m. Children can see “The Buried Treasure” László Vitéz play by Zsuzsa Lehőcz and Dániel Takács on the Kálvin Square main stage, at the same time a guided tour will start in the Visual Art Interactive Puppet Workshop , and on Kossuth Street children will be invited to a guided tour and puppet making session.
Source and photo credit:dehir.hu
