1/5
Budapest English Theatre
Back in 2012, a group of actors and writers wanting to grow the theatre scene in Budapest created what's now called Budapest English Theatre. Their shows are popular among the expat community as well as Hungarian theatre-goers and art lovers looking for something unique. Budapest English Theatre produces one show at a time which is shown at various venues. They remains totally independent, artistically as well as financially and as such every new show is a kind of challenge: the crew need to find a venue and money to fund each production. Support them by
Their upcoming shows are of 'Pretext,' which made its debut in 2014. It's a modern comedy, written and directed by the artistic director of the theatre company, Virginia Proud. It's a story about men and women and, more specifically, about women's expectations and men's fears. Audience members don't need to speak perfect English to understand what's happening on stage, because the topic is somewhat universal. Details here.
Upcoming performances: 20 and 21 May at Művelődési Szint (Müszi).
2/5
Theatre on the Roof
This chamber theatre company was founded by Oliver Micevski who is originally from Macedonia but who came to Budapest and ended up staying for years. Since theatre is his profession (as director), Oliver Micevski decided to establish a professional English-language theatre in Budapest.
If you enjoy new theatre forms, artistic experiments, eclectic and courageous productions then check out a performance by Theatre on the Roof. Currently they play at RS9. The newest show is “Unveiling” based on the play 'Vernissage' by Václav Havel, the former president of the Czech Republic. The vibrant production raises eternal life questions about loneliness, justice and fate. Details here.
Upcoming performances: 'Glass Menagerie' by T. Williams on 10 May at RS9. 'Unveiling' on 8 and 9 May, and 18 April at RS9. In 2015 “Lolita” by Vladimir Nabokov and “Hi-Fi” by Goran Stefanovski will also premier for Theatre on the Roof.
3/5
DramaWorks
DramaWorks is not a theatre company but more an English-language school for budding actors and musical theatre stars. Their performances, therefore, showcase the skills of both adult and child students. For budding actors DramaWorks is a way to experience the theatre production process from the first rehearsal to the first night. The performances by the adult and senior students are polished productions, while the child actor's shows are mostly musicals that are full of colours and humour.
Although the actors are amateurs, the staff at DramaWorks are highly professional tutors and directors. The semester ends in June and then it will be time for performances. This year, adults and teens will showcase “Ladies, Sigh No More' by Thomas Hischak, and “Onstage!” Meanwhile the younger actors will put on their best in “Pugly” based on Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytale, ''Pirates of the Curry Bean'' and ''There’s a Monster in My Closet.'
For details on the upcoming performances check the DramaWorks website regularly. Or if you'd like to take to the stage, find out more about their different training programs and workshops here.
4/5
Forum Company
Similarly, for those interested in English-language theatre more from the stage than the seats we can recommend Forum Company ('Fórum Társulat' in Hungarian). They're a group of drama enthusiasts who often organise drama workshops in English (in addition to their numerous Hungarian-language endeavours). The workshops happen on a semi-regular basis and are always advertised on their Facebook page (although you could contact the friendly administrators to find out more if you're super keen).
Forum Company welcomes students of all nationalities wishing to play in English, and they offer pretty much everything you could expect from a drama workshop (forum theatre, trust games, playback theatre, situation exercises). You don't have to be a budding actor, you just have to have an interest in the theatre. There is generally a small fee for workshops.
5/5
Shows with English surtitles
Several other theatre shows in Budapest have English surtitles accompanying performances. Surtitles are just like subtitles for a film but appear on a screen above, below or to the side of the stage during opera and theatre performances. It's always worth double checking whether English surtitles will be provided before booking tickets to avoid disappointment.
Katona József Theatre, for instance, has shows with English surtitles. The program changes from month to month so you will never get bored. On 29 April catch “An Enemy of the People” by Henrik Ibsen and on 22 and 23 May book a ticket for “Faust I” and “Faust II.”
The world famous musical “Cats” will be on show at the Madách Theatre soon. It will be in Hungarian with English surtitles, with the next performance in early June.
Major opera and theatre venues like the Hungarian State Opera House and the Erkel Theatre also have performances that come with English surtitles in the coming months before summer break.
There is also an impressive number of performances on at the National Theatre with English surtitles – check the program for the remainder of the 2014-15 season here.
The Budapest Spring Festival, from 10-26 of April, also has some theatre shows as part of its broader offering of music, exhibitions and dance. View the calendar of theatre events here.
Finally, we would particularly like to highlight the events that are part of The Second Madách International Theatre Meeting. From 14-28 April the huge event will showcase about 20 performances from 13 countries across three stages, introducing some great theatre from around the world. See the calendar here to see what's on offer in English or at the very least with English surtitles.
