In November 2025, the Csokonai National Theatre in Debrecen once again offers a diverse lineup performances.

Presented in Hungarian with English subtitles, the following featured programs offer a rich cultural experience throughout November.

11 November – Gilles Ségal: The Puppetmaster – The tragicomic life of Samuel Finkelbaum – Absurd Play – In Hungarian with English subtitles/Csokonai Fórum, Kóti Árpád stage

A co-production performance between the Csokonai National Theatre Debrecen, Maladype Theatre Budapest, Federation of Hungarian Jewish Communities in Honor of the 80th Anniversary of the Holocaust.

About the play:
Author Gilles Ségal, born in Romania and based in France, described his play The Puppetmaster as “something light”—yet it became a haunting tale. Its protagonist, Samuel Finkelbaum, a renowned puppeteer and Birkenau survivor, lives in postwar Berlin, convinced the war never ended. Isolated with puppets representing his lost wife and unborn child, he prepares for his final show: The Tragicomic Life of Samuel Finkelbaum. The story unfolds through a “theater within the theater” lens, as a friend arrives—perhaps to break the illusion. Or perhaps not.

More information about the performance:csokonaiszinhaz.hu/en/plays/gilles-segal-the-puppetmaster

Tickets:jegy.csokonaiszinhaz.hu/production/122113/csokonai-forum-a-babjatekos

26 November – Zoltán Egressy: Portugal -Tragicomedy – In Hungarian with English subtitles/Csokonai Fórum, Latinovits Zoltán Stage

About the play:
Set in a village pub in Irgács, Portugal—Zoltán Egressy’s most performed play—introduces a cast of colorful yet stagnant characters: Lajos the kind-hearted owner, his wistful daughter Masni, the eccentric Csipesz and his foul-mouthed wife Jucika, the alcohol-numbed Satan, Retek the disillusioned ex-cop, and a priest with a taste for communion wine. They drift through life like puppets of their own unfulfilled desires. When a young intellectual arrives from the capital, he’s faced with a daunting challenge—one that may reflect our own. Directed by Marcel Bélai, the play leaves us wondering: can anything truly change?

More information about the performance: csokonaiszinhaz.hu/en/plays/zoltan-egressy-portugal

Tickets:https://jegy.csokonaiszinhaz.hu/production/122237/csokonai-forum-portugal

30 November – Béla Bartók: Prince Bluebeard’s Castle – Opera in one act – A co production of Coopera and the Csokonai National Theater- In Hungarian with English subtitles//Csokonai Fórum, Latinovits Zoltán Stage

About the play:
Directed by UNITER Award-winner Zakariás Zalán and artistically led by Lóránt Bocskor-Salló, this opera—marking the 140th anniversary of the composer’s birth—explores the male and female psyche and their complex relationship. Featuring Viktória Mester and Levente Molnár, the production blends symbolic duality with a unique visual world, where live performance and screen projection merge to evoke dreamlike layers of meaning.

More information about the performance: csokonaiszinhaz.hu/en/plays/bela-bartok-prince-bluebeards-castle

Tickets:jegy.csokonaiszinhaz.hu/production/122263/csokonai-forum-a-kekszakallu-herceg-vara

Whether drawn to opera, drama, or reflective storytelling, the November program at the Csokonai National Theatre offers a rich cultural experience.

Date: 11-30 November
Location:Csokonai Fórum: Latinovits Zoltán Stage and Kóti Árpád stage

Source:csokonaiszinhaz.hu/en | Photo credit: debrecen.hu