The following is a translation of an article originally published in Magyar Krónika.

János Lackfi, a writer, poet, and literary translator is one of Hungary’s most active contemporary artists. He has authored numerous collections of poetry and prose and has been teaching creative writing for over twenty years. Together with his colleague, István Vörös, he was actually the first in the country to introduce creative writing at Pázmány Péter Catholic University, later continuing teaching it in a closed Facebook group. The best writings are staged by Momentán Társulat at the end of each ‘semester’.

The audience in Zsámbék will have the opportunity to see János Lackfi’s play Medveles (Bearspotting) for the first time, thanks to the collaboration between Allee Management and the Zsámbék Summer Theatre. The play will be performed on 24 August on the outdoor stage of the Zichy Castle in Zsámbék. Based on Gyöngyi Porkoláb’s podcast series apamondta.hu, the play explores the fascinating aspects of father-son relationships.

The production is directed by Áron Őze, with performances by Gergely Csiby and Róbert Marton. The set and costumes were designed by Yvette Alida Kovács. The play debuted at MOMKult in June and has since been performed in Transylvania, but

the August performance in Zsámbék will be special as János Lackfi has strong personal ties to the town.

Every year, the audience at the Zichy Castle stage has the chance to see something special from Lackfi’s body of work.

This year, Bearspotting tackles a more serious subject, delving into the complexities of father-son relationships, reflecting not just on fathers and sons but on all of us, regardless of gender or age, as we all have some experience of fatherhood. Through six scenes, we follow the development, changes, and new and old roles of the father, portrayed by Róbert Marton, and the son, played by Gergely Csiby, over the course of thirty years. The play captures the essence of Gyöngyi Porkoláb’s podcasts, and beyond the lessons of over three hundred father-son stories,

it naturally includes the personal experiences of the author, director, and actors.

Family, and the relationships within it, plays a significant role in Lackfi’s life and art. In a piece published in Magyar Krónika, his children play a central role. Another of his pieces, also published there, could even be interpreted as a love letter to his wife. The artist, together with his wife and six children, have chosen Zsámbék as their ideal home. Júlia Bárdos spoke in detail about this in an interview, emphasizing the importance of the village and the church community there.

Áron Őze mentioned that the idea to portray these generational patterns on stage came after listening to Gyöngyi Porkoláb’s discussions. Gyöngyi Porkoláb, as the production manager of the play, summarized Bearspotting as a story that follows the relationship between a father and his son, tracing the son’s journey from young adulthood to becoming a father of three. János Lackfi presents the parent-child relationship intriguingly, exploring conflicts and examining responsibility and love, offering the audience numerous opportunities for identification.

Click here to read the original article.