„National Anthems”, the New Play at the English Theatre of Hamburg

By Uta Buhr

 And the winner is….

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The Reeds holding court with Ben

It goes without saying from the very first moment. The owners of this posh apartment in suburban Detroit are members of the moneyed American middleclass. Arthur and Leslie Reed have just “held court” for their well-heeled friends and are now clearing their spacious living room from the left-overs of the party. While Arthur, dressed in an expensive Armani suit – 1,900 bucks – just imagine – checks the latest market quotations and his mails on his iPhone, Leslie tries to learn Japanese with the help of a pair of earphones. The extremely loud music from two hidden boxes does not seem to disturb Mr. and Mrs. Middleclass America in their activities. They do not even notice that a stranger is knocking hard at their door. Ben Cook, a neighbour, who Continue reading „„National Anthems”, the New Play at the English Theatre of Hamburg“

William Wilberforce and the abolition of slavery in the British Empire

by Professor Derek Fraser

 (A shortened version of a lecture given on board Queen Elizabeth as part of the Cunard Insights programme January 2014)

 

Am I not a man and a brother?
Am I not a man and a brother?

Slavery is as old as civilisation itself and many ancient Empires, including Egypt, Greece and Rome, were built on slave labour.  However, in the 17th and 18th centuries slavery took on a new more systematic form, in the wake of the voyages of exploration to and colonisation of the Americas by Europeans.  The fertile land of the New World generated a demand for labour which far exceeded the supply of both indigenous peoples and migrants.  Africa seemed to promise an unlimited supply of labour which the colonies needed and so the infamous triangular slave trade developed.  Ships from Europe would take manufactured goods, including basic armaments, to ports in West Africa.  There the products were offloaded and traded for African slaves, brought to the huge slave warehouses by unscrupulous traders, Continue reading „William Wilberforce and the abolition of slavery in the British Empire“

„Mass Appeal“ – The Play by Bill C. Davis premieres at the English Theatre of Hamburg

By Uta Buhr

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Have a try, boy

The plot: Father Tim Farley, an elderly Roman-Catholic priest of Irish descend, is flabbergasted when he meets young head-strong seminary student Mark Dolson who insists on challenging certain rites and traditions of the Church. Accustomed to a good easy-going life, nice parishioners who follow him like sheep and spoil him with gifts such as bottles of good wine and other highly enjoyable things, he does not know what to answer when Mark questions his views on subjects as celibacy and whether women and gay men should be allowed to serve the Roman-Catholic Church as priests. “Weren’t it women who followed Jesus on his bitter way to Golgatha”, says Mark. Not to name Saint Veronica who wiped the face of Christ with her veil. As Mark’s speech goes on, Father Farley becomes extremely helpless and takes resort to a large glass of excellent white wine to calm down. What on earth does this young rebel want, the more so as he apparently is the son of affluent parents? Had he not better choose another job than Continue reading „„Mass Appeal“ – The Play by Bill C. Davis premieres at the English Theatre of Hamburg“

„Relatively Speaking“ – The New Play At English Theatre of Hamburg

By Uta Buhr

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Do you want to marry me?

It is a great pleasure to see Alan Ayckbourn’s comedy “Relatively Speaking” again on the Mundsburg stage after a period of nearly fifteen years! As a matter of fact, the public loves this wonderful comedy best of all plays written by Britain’s most prolific playwright. What is its secret? In this play Ayckbourn reveals our human weakness when it comes to telling the truth in awkward situations. Be frank, dear reader, didn’t you ever tell your husband, wife, relatives or friends little white lies whenever you could avoid arguments? These lies – or shall we call them excuses – don’t hurt anybody. In our opinion it is more than justified to make use of them in the best possible way whenever harmony in relationships is at stake. Continue reading „„Relatively Speaking“ – The New Play At English Theatre of Hamburg“

Nyár – Róma – Szent István Ház

Dr. Ferenc Horvath

Der Hotelgarten
Der Hotelgarten

Bőrönd megpakolva, nyári ruha felöltve, lakásajtó bezárva, jegyek előkészítve, szálloda lefoglalva, napszemüveg feltéve, és kezdődhet az utazás. Első közös utunk Rómába!

Végre repülőnk is a magasba emelkedett, és magunk mögött hagytuk Budapestet. Másfél óra múlva pedig már leszálláshoz készülődtünk, megérkeztünk Rómába. Késő éjszaka volt már, de izgatottságunk legyőzte fáradtságunkat.

Róma Fiumicino repülőtere a városon kívül épült, ám bennünket, és mint kiderült rajtunk kívül másokat is, már várt szálláshelyünk, a Szent István Ház külön kisbusza, nagyon barátságos, és magyarul is beszélő személyzettel. Elindultunk és első találkozásunk a várossal örök emlék marad: Az idő kellemesen meleg, a város fényei lenyűgözőek, ugyanakkor izgatóak is, az élményt pedig csak fokozza az olasz autósok sajátos, türelmetlen vezetési stílusa. Continue reading „Nyár – Róma – Szent István Ház“

„Stone Cold Murder“ the new play an the English Theatre of Hamburg

By Uta Buhr

Thrill as Thrill can: „Stone Cold Murder” by James Cawood  – the new play at the English Theatre of Hamburg

Don’t move, Sam, or you will be dead

Rejoice! This wonderful thriller comes at the very right moment before autumn arrives with fog, strong winds and rainy days. Just imagine an old hotel in the famous Lake District in north-east England at the end of the summer season. Robert and Olivia Chappell, the newly wed owners of this cosy but rather  run-down place, are happy having got rid of their guests. Continue reading „„Stone Cold Murder“ the new play an the English Theatre of Hamburg“

Good news for the friends of the English Theatre of Hamburg

By Uta Buhr

Uta Buhr is glad to inform you about the new play which will premiere at the TET on September 5, 2013. James Cawood, a young British actor, already launched his first play – a thriller at that – in Vienna.  “Stone Cold Murder” was greeted with applause by an enthusiastic audience. The romantic Lake District in mountainous North West England is the place of action of this gripping play about a young couple, a weird visitor and a stolen diamond. Out of these ingredients the author mixed a tasty and enthralling cocktail. We are absolutely sure that spectators in Hamburg will enjoy this excellent entertainment as much as their Austrian “colleagues.”

As usual, we shall come back on the play after the premiere on our website.

Box office: 040 – 227 70 89 or online booking under www.englischtheatre.de

„Big Boys“ – the new play at the English Theatre of Hamburg

 By  Uta Buhr

„BIG BOYS“ – THE NEW PLAY AT THE ENGLISH THEATRE OF HAMBURG, WRITTEN BY RICH ORLOFF

This paper is sheer bullshit!

Did you ever hear of Rich Orloff? If not, it is high time to learn a good many things about this gifted playwright  who likes to compose over-the-top comic fables as to what men value and desire. In fact, “Big Boys”, a screwball comedy which premiered in 1997 in the United States, became very quickly a great success nationwide. The subject of the play is as old as mankind itself: greed and man’s desire to dominate over other people. The relationship between a self-satisfied, bully, amoral and – of course – very successful boss and his new insecure, highly moral and unhappy assistant-to-be is dealt with in detail in this hilarious two-character comedy. Continue reading „„Big Boys“ – the new play at the English Theatre of Hamburg“

Magic of the Paint-Brush

By Wöhlke/ Witka und Dr. László Kova

Die Ausstellung in Nikosia

„Magic of the Paint-Brush“ Fine Art Exhibition of  Witka and Dr. László Kova

It is something special when a married couple is doing the same by profession. About 30 years ago they met accidently in Hamburg/Germany: She came from Masuria/Poland and he had migrated from Budapest/Hungary. Both of them love the nature. With paint-brushes and palettes they travel the world and capture their impressions in colors. Galleries in Europe, the USA and Australia exhibit their works of art frequently.

She, Witka Kova, prefers water colors, he, Dr. László Kova, mostly works with oil on canvas. In Continue reading „Magic of the Paint-Brush“

The Importance of Being Earnest

By Uta Buhr

A sensational brand-new production of Oscar Wilde’s comedy “The Importance of Being Earnest” at the English Theatre of Hamburg

What about the saying that names mean nothing?

What about the saying that names mean nothing? To Gwendolen Fairfax and Cecily Cardew the name Ernest means everything! Both posh young ladies feel that they can only love and marry a man by the name of Ernest because in their opinion this name promises a pure and serious character. Believe it or not, but the whole plot of Oscar Wilde’s “fanciful absurd comedy” is build around this rather common name. Two young gentlemen – Algernon (nickname Algy) and Jack  – also belonging to the British upper class, fall in love with Gwendolen and Cecily and insist on their being baptised Ernest in order to please the ladies. It goes without saying that this little white lie, as they may call it, entails great trouble. Continue reading „The Importance of Being Earnest“

Touch And Go – The new play at the English Theatre of Hamburg

Who is who?

By Uta Buhr

This hilarious comedy by the British playwright Derek Benfield is just the ideal entertainment on a grey November evening and certainly the right thing for Christmas or New Year’s Eve.

The fan club of the small but very nice stage will greatly enjoy this play which the author chose to dub “farce” instead of comedy. And a farce it is in fact since the plot is so commonplace and yet extremely funny. In the proper sense of the word touch and go is an aeronautic term, meaning the start of a plane. However, in the figurative sense it means risky or uncertain. That’s it: two couples, a fake Red Cross Nurse and  coq au vin all combine to a really risky adventure! Continue reading „Touch And Go – The new play at the English Theatre of Hamburg“

„Reasons to be Pretty“ by Neil Labute

by Uta Buhr

The new Play at the English Theatre of Hamburg

Furious

Name one human being that does not want to be beautiful or at least good looking! But how does one describe beauty, and how important is it in everyday life? Neil Labute’s play “Reasons to be Pretty” – by the way the first one to be staged on Broadway – is all about physical attraction and how people deal with it. The plot centres around four young working class friends and lovers who become increasingly dissatisfied with their dull lives and each other. “Reasons to be Pretty” is the last – and weakest – installment of a trilogy that focuses on modern man’s obsession with physical Continue reading „„Reasons to be Pretty“ by Neil Labute“

Ötven éve szól magyarul az ige Hamburgban

Von Ferenc Horvath

Beim Gottesdienst

Ötven éve szól magyarul  az ige Hamburgban, a Szt. Bernard templomban

1962 márciusában került Hamburg poppenbütteli plébánosi székébe a Magyarországon született Czodor István Atya. Ő honosította meg még ugyanabban az évben a német mellett a rendszeres magyar nyelvű katolikus szentmiséket a város északi csücskében. Ezeket azóta is minden hónap első vasárnapján ünnepli meg Hamburg és környékének magyarsága immár ötven éve, Czodor Atya nyugdíjba vonulása után jelenlegi új lelkipásztorával, Rasztovac Pál Atyával. Continue reading „Ötven éve szól magyarul az ige Hamburgban“

„Moon over the Brewery“

By Uta Buhr

Moon over the Brewery“ by Bruce Graham – the new play at the English Theatre of Hamburg

A fabulous world

The fabulous world that teenager Amanda Waslyk has built around her dull existence can by no means compete with that of Amélie, alias Audrey Toutou. Do you remember that gorgeous French film, showing those hot spots and old quarters around Montmartre? In order to cope with her loneliness in Beertown, a dirty coal town in Pennsylvania, thirteen year old Amanda invents Randolph, a smart and handsome Continue reading „„Moon over the Brewery““

“The Comedy of Errors“ by William Shakespeare

Uta Buhr

The new Play at the English Theatre of Hamburg

No escape for a tied-up man

Did you know that William Shakespeare, Britain’s greatest playwright ever, wrote one of the first “Sitcoms?” If you do not like this rather trivial modern word, just call it a farce. It is true that Shakespeare’s shortest and perhaps earliest comedy is based on the oeuvre by the well-known Roman citizen and comic playwright Plautus who lived around 250 B.C. The plot is quite intricate since two sets of identical twins are involved in the play, both being accidentally separated by birth on a boat totally damaged during a heavy storm in the Mediterranean Sea. Years Continue reading „“The Comedy of Errors“ by William Shakespeare“

Nekrolog – Papa

Von Dr. Ferenc Horvath

Erinnerung

Tegnap hajnalban végleg elaludt. Fájdalmak nélkül, összekuporodva, mint egy kisgyerek.
Talán kedvenc ételével, a halászlével, vagy kedvenc italával, a Colával álmodta magát a másvilágra.  A repülőn ülve, lehet  épp lelke mellett suhanva el most rá gondolok.  Emlékek özöne tódul ilyenkor fel.
Az első futball labda, mellyel a Népligetben gyakoroltunk. Fejelő bajnokság, tollas. Közös játék a László korház pályáján idegenek ellen.  Tanító magyarázatok történelemből, földrajzból. Együtt végzett munkák, kerítésfestés.  Meccs a régi Fradi pályán Alberttal, Branikoviccsal, Varga Zolival. Egyetemi dolgozataim dorgáló helyesírás javítása. Egy hatalmas, de sajnos gyakran gyakorlatban  használhatatlan lexikális tudás. TV vetélkedők. Continue reading „Nekrolog – Papa“

A QUARTET IN TROUBLE: “FUNNY ABOUT LOVE “

THE NEW PLAY AT THE ENGLISH THEATRE OF HAMURG

By Uta Buhr

Hilarious! The new comedy by the famous British playwright Terence Frisby is heart-warming and thus just the right thing for a dark and rainy day in the dead of winter. In the very beginning nothing seems to be funny for middle-aged Rosie Boston who has just learned about her husband’s infidelity. Piers Boston, a 53 year old business-man has madly fallen in love with his young and pretty secretary Larissa. He is planning to begin a new life with her in the couple’s posh London apartment overlooking the River Thames. Selfish as Piers is, he does not even seem to expect any objections from his wife either to share her home with Larissa or to move out for good. While Rosie is brooding over her problem, help comes from young Darren Tucker who insists on talking to her. Continue reading „A QUARTET IN TROUBLE: “FUNNY ABOUT LOVE ““