The Hungarian Theatre of Cluj invites audiences to discover the world of theatre this spring, by offering discount ticket prices for the April 6 performance of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. The 50% discount applies for tickets purchased at the theatre’s ticket office and online at www.biletmaster.ro, by selecting the Spring Promotion option.

The characters of the play directed by Gábor Tompa all act according to their own interest, everything being manipulated by a complex network of interests and alliances. Of course, each character bears strong, sincere emotions; there is sex, love, eroticism. But the characters do not decide based on these. They only temporarily believe these things to be more important. Selfishness and self-interest interfere in all decisions reached. If we reflect on this idea, we can create a terribly cruel theatre. Of course, with elements of comedy, with comic situations, but essentially a greedy, cruel chase after “immortality”, survival or happiness.

“They say that »the Jews rule the world «. Possibly. But to what cost, what humiliation… Up there, in the elevator, above everyone, the character is alone. It's a world where we can hardly find our own place, whoever we are, wherever we might come from. A world in which we are alone, regardless of how much we socialize online or in underground clubs. A world of merchantry” – writes theatre critic Maria Zărnescu on Yorick.ro.

Gábor Viola will portray the title role of the play, while the cast includes actors: Balázs Bodolai, Ervin Szűcs, Loránd Farkas, Szabolcs Balla, Péter Árus, Zsolt Bogdán, Éva Imre, Enikő Györgyjakab, Andrea Vindis, Csilla Albert, Alpár Fogarasi, Csaba Marosán, Attila Orbán, Róbert Laczkó Vass, Loránd Váta, Ferenc Sinkó, Paco Alfonsín, Áron Dimény, Melinda Kántor and János Platz.

Tickets can be purchased at the theatre’s ticket office daily between 10 am to 2 pm, as well as 90 minutes before performances.