Oldal 56 [56]
MILITARIZING OPERETTA, OR THEATRE CRITICISM AS WAR PROPAGANDA
“flatteringly soft, warm voice”,”'? but her acting remained puppet-like, lifeless
and mannered. Marika Németh was able to “immerse herself in her role”,?'?
and she was “more natural and sincere” than Birkas.”!° However, according to
the chief director of the Operetta Theatre, her performance was not free from
“all the frills of the past”, and she remained the same “sweet, naive type of
woman” in different dramatic situations.*””
As far as members of the second couple were concerned, Zsuzsa Petress
received a more positive assessment, but her acting was described with only a
few adjectives (“authentic, fresh and temperamental in her role as a waitress
awakened to class consciousness””"?), and sometimes criticized as “being not
yet free from the old, exhibitionist soubrette style”.”'” On the other hand,
Róbert Rátonyi received the most severe criticism of his career so far for
the use of “buffo stereotypes”””° and “familiar garbage”*”’, for “hunting for
cheap success”,’” but the reason for the problems of his acting was said to
be the insurmountable “internal contradictions” of Miki’s character.”*? Only
Géza Partos appreciated Ratonyi’s acting as a “decisive turn in his artistic
career”, noting that the partly successful attempt for stripping his mannerism
had to be recognized." In addition, Lajos Manyay’s portrayal of George
Stan and Jézsef Antalffy’s One-Eyed were praised, since the actors did not
underestimate the enemy and did not show them too stupid and harmless.”
Vera Sennyey was also highlighted for providing a lot in the “short role of
213 Tóth: Szabad szél, 7.
24 Cf. L. J.: Szabad szél, 6. — Cf. also "Concerning realist acting, the Operetta Iheatre had
improved far more than the Opera House. These two singers [i.e. Lilian Birkas and Andor
Lendvai] were extremely operatic in the Operetta Theatre. [...] I wouldn’t have worked with
opera singers since Marika Németh proved to solve the task better than Lilian Birkas with her
immense musical knowledge and ability. And in spite of Lendvai’s amazing singing skills, that
young actor [Tibor Nadas] played the role [of Caesar Gall] better on Wednesday. Lendvai’s
singing could not be understood, I didn’t grasp the lyrics. He forced his voice, he tried to get
results with excessive accents, but remained ineffective.” Székely, Szévetségi vita, 5.
Szenthegyi: A Szabad szél zenéje, 5.
Jemnitz: Szabad szél, 4.
217 Apathy, Szövetségi vita, 15—16.
218 Jemnitz: Szabad szél, 4.
29 L.J.: Szabad szél, 6.
220 Apáthy, Szövetségi vita, 15—16.
Jemnitz: Szabad szél, 4.
L. J.: Szabad szél, 6.
Cf. Gáspár: Szabad szél, 364. — Cf. also "Rátonyi has to play three types of figures, which is
extremely difficult. The first is a clumsy, gawky fop, the second is a man on the right track,
and the third is a fighting character, who confronts the enemy, if necessary. These three
figures must be united by the actor even if the role is just thrown at the audience in the first
act by the author.” Alfonso, Szövetségi vita, 10.
Pärtos, Szövetsegi vita, 18-19.
225 Cf. Gäspär: Szabad szel, 364.
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