Kassák House Studio – Squat Theatre
Photos of the History of the Hungarian Underground Theatre
It has been for more than thirty years now that Péter Halász, member of the University Theatre, Budapest and six of his associates quitted the prestigious company and launched their experiment which, following some stormy formative years, ended up as one of the world’s most significant contemporary avant-garde theatres. First the new group occupied a room in Kassák Culture House, in the 14th district of Budapest, hence their name, Kassák House Studio. Their activity having been officially banned, they started Apartment Theatre, which was again renamed Squat Theatre following their emigration to New York.
Péter Halász, founder and a leading personality throughout, lives and works today in Budapest again. Endre Kovács, a close associate, has documented the life and performances of the group from the beginning. Our exhibition displays photos of the group’s early, Kassák period, the Festival at Nancy and their performances in Paris, the Apartment Theatre period, the Squat’s shows in Paris, Rotterdam and Düsseldorf and finally the Andy Warhol’s Last Love show in New York.
Kassák Theatre and Squat Theatre have become legendary specialties of Hungarian theatre.
