The Webtheatre-Shakespeare/37 project: filmed theatricality and contemporary networking

Participants:

László Magács (director-producer, confirmed)

Natália Nóra Meister (visuals, camera; confirmed)

Dr. Natália Pikli (Eötvös Loránd University, reviewer and Shakespeare scholar; confirmed)

In accordance with the main theme of the ESRA 2023 conference, „Change”, this workshop focuses on how the global pandemic and the lockdowns affected Shakespearean appropriations in performative and distributional contexts by highlighting a unique Hungarian project by producer-director László Magács and visual director Natália Nóra Meister. Their project follows a unique and specific formula which, according to the creators’ intention, may foster similar projects in other countries. The formula is the following: each Shakespeare play of the canon (36 in the First Folio, 1623, plus Pericles) is re-imagined by a contemporary Hungarian author, and authors (both male and female, established and young) are asked to focus on relevant contemporary issues besides taking the given Shakespeare play as inspiration. The written texts are published in a prestigious online literary journal (litera.hu) and form the basis for ca. 30-minute filmed productions, in which theatrical (acting, gestures) and filmic devices (camera movements, focus, site-specific location, etc.), plus a piece-specific sound design work together to produce a unified effect. Each piece is in one sustained single shot (Dogma-style) and follows a theatrical-style pre-production rehearsal with the actors. This way film, theatre and literature are connected as inspired by Shakespeare, and with a strong contemporary focus. While the core creative team of director and staff remains the same, diversity is encouraged by inviting authors and actors of different background, ages and gender. Since each piece is subtitled in English, the series is ready to be exported abroad, and further collaboration and interaction with theatre or film experts are welcome by the creators. The episodes can be watched on the following website after buying an electronic ticket: https://webszinhaz.com/shakespeare-37/