17-19 Cockspur St, London SW1Y 5BL
Liszt Institute London invites you to a unique monodrama, Psyche, the first English translation of a one-woman show from Sándor Weöres' collections of letters, poems, and various documents that chronicle the life of a fictional 19th-century woman around whom the play centres.
Elizabeth Lonyay, alias Psyche, a gypsy countess and poet, wanders across Europe during the Napoleonic era in a chauvinistic society that challenges her independence. Based on the unique book Psyche: Writings of an Erstwhile Poetess, written in 1972 by Hungary’s celebrated national poet, Sándor Weöres; this production brings a cornerstone of Hungarian literature to English-speaking audiences for the first time.
A 'purification' in 60 minutes.
'I, on the other hand, give a sense of touch, taste, and smell to everything I write about. When I write about eating cake, the reader should think he is eating one; if I should mention my breasts or my waist, they should feel themselves bedding me, or sitting closely beside me. I wish to be the whore Venus embracing all the World, or if that is not possible, of all my Readers.'
Performed in English.
Creatives
Directed by: Márk Tárnoki
Már Tárnoki is a theatre director of the National Theatre in Szeged, Hungary. ‘I am interested in the social aspects of theatre and in the intensive, experimental work with actors. I look at theatre as a community genre. I believe theatre is an opportunity to learn about the world, to explore human nature, to create community.’
Translated by: Dávid Cseh
Dávid Cseh (1987) is a freelance dramaturg, translator, and theatre researcher based in Budapest, Hungary. He regularly works with independent theatre companies, and has helped stage plays by British playwrights like Joe Orton, Tom Stoppard and Caryl Churchill. He also specializes in Hungarian to English translation. This is his first time working with a text by Sándor Weöres, and this is the first English translation of PSYCHE.
Performed by: Stella Abel
Stella Abel trained as an actor (BA, MA) at the University of Theatre and Film Arts (SZFE), in Budapest. After a postgraduate semester at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire she presented her solo show PSYCHE in London (2023), at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (2024), and it will presented at the Rehearsal for Truth Theater Festival, New York, and Voices International Theatre Festival, Jersey City Theater Center, New Jersey (2025).
Produced by The Broadcast Studios
Reviews
‘A raw and passionate performance from a gifted storyteller.’ (BroadwayBaby)
‘Stella Abel is a gifted storyteller, and her vibrant and sexually charged performance as the enigmatic and unleashed titular Romani Countess is a bold and challenging watch. Abel’s passion for the material is evident throughout as she connects with the words on a visceral level and, in turn transfers this connection to the audience.’ (BroadwayBaby)