Oldal 86 [86]
FREEDOM FIGHT FOR LOVE, AN EXCELLENT FARCE AND SOME MUSIC BY LEHÄR
the life, further development and history of all mankind.”* In order to
make this notable thesis of Marxist historiography more understandable,
György Székely gave a meticulous analysis of the age before the read-through,
detailing a great number of phenomena, Írom colonialism and the changes of
the financial world to social tensions. In relation to the latter, he highlighted
the historical role of les bohémes, who "wanted to turn against all that
this society involved" and "proclaimed war against bourgeois morality".?5
Therefore, he projected the image of a rather militant world of the bohemians
behind the events of Lehárs operetta. His aim was to make the production
reflect specific factors of the period, such as the forms of social interaction
and good manners, the conventions of social behavior, the characteristics of
architecture, the way in which people had been dressed. Székely made it clear
that they could get close to the period "in fashion, costumes, manners and
dances” to display “the forces that had prevailed at the time”.*® This illustrates
the realist maximalism of the mise-en-scéne, which scenography and acting
were not able to reach utterly.
Historicization, i.e. the historical attitude towards all figures and events,
the emphasis on the changeability of the way of the world instead of the
absolutization of the belle époque, converged with Brecht’s ideas of performance
put into practice in East-Berlin at that time. Moreover, one of the questions
of András Mikó, the other director came particularly close to the Brechtian
understanding of theatre, namely "how can we make staging and acting
reflect the ambiguities of this world?”*” Highlighting contradictions instead
of clarity and consistency became a goal especially in case of phenomena
found rather negative. Consequently, the power embodied by Sir Basil and the
members of the society at Angéle’s soirée were analyzed painstakingly, as well
as the capital represented by the three English lords hunting for monopolies
and concessions, and “the merging of power and capital” in the lords’ dancing
attendance on Sir Basil.*”! They also found contradictions in the law unveiled
in the third act only to see that “not all people are equal before it”, and in the
behavior of the average citizen, i.e. in Fleury’s opportunism, “who changes
her positions from the point of view of utility”.*’* However, they did not forget
“positive forces” either, such as “the power of the collective, the power of a
group of artists who are happy to help each other” and also “the revolutionary
nature of love”.*” This nature was considered particularly important by
Székely, and connected with “the ideological content” of the play. It is worth
367 Térsulati üles, 5-10.
368 Ibid., 14.
3% Ibid., 21.
370 Ibid., 35-40.
371 Ibid., 22.
372 Ibid.
373 Ibid.
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