Theatre scene for expats in Budapest: Asterion Project Theatre

Since Merlin Theatre in English closed down in 2012, there was not much going on on the Theatre scene for expats in Budapest, only some stand-up comedy or improvisational performances. Asterion Project Theatre in English changed that.

In 2017 a Croatian actress and director, Čarna Kršul started Asterion Project, a multicultural Theatre group based in Budapest, with regular Theatre performances in English.

Their first premiere was House of Asterion in Bethlen Téri Theatre, which was a unique mix of prose, poetry, dance, and visual animation, and was performed by actors from Spain, Hungary and Croatia. In the play, Jorge Luis Borges “re”-tells the classic story of the Cretan Minotaur from an alternative perspective.

The second performance that is being presented to a local audience by Asterion Project is the award-winning play Constellations, a two-hander, exploring a love affair between a beekeeper and cosmologist. Also showcased on Broadway and in Los Angeles, nominated for a Tony, the piece by British playwright Nick Payne also played in London’s West End and won the prestigious Evening Standard Theatre Award. Asterion Project’s adaptation of the play was a big success and got invited to perform in various countries.

This summer, it can be seen in the Czech Republic, Croatia, Austria, Serbia, and from September audience in Budapest can also see it on a regular basis in RS9 Theatre.

MOST BUDAPEST

written by Čarna Kršul

“After living for the last 19th years as an expat in Hungary, I came to an idea to write a play about how foreigners who are coming from different cultural backgrounds feel living in Budapest, what’s their perspective about Hungarian people, language, customs.