As the opening performance of Showcase 2021, the Hungarian Theatre of Cluj will present its premiere of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, directed by Gábor Tompa, on 3 December, at 7 pm, in the Main Hall.  

The director emphasized that the focus of the production is on the search for truth: "...Hamlet is definitely a choice of an uncomfortable and dangerous path in today's world. Including the comfort of the whole consumer world today. For we are less thinking beings because we are addicted to this consumer society. Among the youth there are also some who are not interested in the consumer society, money or power, but in a their search for truth, even at the cost of possibly their own life."

Miklós H. Vecsei, who portrays the title role in the production, said this about Hamlet: "This is one of the most famous roles in dramatic literature, and I am self-conscious, not because of the role, but because of Shakespeare. Hamlet is in everyone, in the security guard here, in me and in everyone in the company, András Visky, Gábor Tompa and also my loved ones. Hamlet is not one man, but the totality of people. My job is to make the role very personal, to always be able to speak from my own perspective, each and every second I'm on stage. To do this, I get a lot of help from my partners, especially those whose eyes I can look into during a painful or difficult scene."

The production is directed by Gábor Tompa, the creative team also including set designer András Both, costume designer Bianca Imelda Jeremias, dramaturg András Visky, composer Vasile Șirli, choreographer Melinda Jakab, video designer András Rancz and Gyopár Bocskai, assistant costume designer.

The title role will be played by guest actor Miklós H. Vecsei, with an ensemble cast made up of Ervin Szűcs, Imola Kézdi, Balázs Bodolai, Zsolt Gedő, András Buzási, Ferenc Sinkó, Zsuzsa Tőtszegi, József Bíró, Tamás Kiss, Éva Imre, Anikó Pethő, Szabolcs Balla, Lucian Chirilă, Gizella Kicsid, Venczel Lőrincz-Szabó and Sára Viola.

The creation of the production was supported by the Government of Hungary and the Bethlen Gábor Fund.

Tickets for the premiere of Hamlet and for subsequent performances held on December 4, 10, 17 and 29 can be purchased at the theatre's ticket office (weekdays between 10 am and 2 pm) and online at www.biletmaster.ro.