On domestic violence, overly narrow sidewalks, and misogynistic jokes – the Hungarian Theatre organizes an international theatre festival on women’s issues
On domestic violence, overly narrow sidewalks, and misogynistic jokes – the Hungarian Theatre organizes an international theatre festival on women’s issues
The international theatre festival “Femmincity – Women for Women” is organized by the Csiky Gergely Hungarian State Theatre in Timișoara as part of a project co-funded by the European Union through the CERV program. The performances will take place in the Studio Hall of the Hungarian Theatre between May 24–28, with two shows daily at 5:00 PM and 8:00 PM, followed by discussions with the audience.
The EU grant co-financed a production from the Hungarian Theatre’s repertoire, “12A Happiness Street”, which premiered in January 2026, directed by Laurent Berger, director and head of the Master’s program in Performing Arts Creation at Université Paul Valéry Montpellier 3 in France. The play, written by the director together with Enikő Orbán, is based on real interviews with victims of domestic violence in Timișoara, contacted through the Social Assistance Dept. Since its premiere on January 30th, the performance has been playing to full houses, proving that the topic remains highly relevant.
The project also facilitated an exchange of artists among partners. Thus, Emőke Kedves, a director at the Hungarian Theatre, took part in an artistic residency that resulted in the production “Matkopolis” at the Kobietostan artistic organization in Wrocław, Poland. The performance presents the difficulties faced by parents with babies on city streets—overly narrow sidewalks, too few diaper-changing facilities, and the hostility encountered by women who breastfeed in public.
These two productions, along with three other performances addressing women’s rights, created in Serbia, Slovenia, and France, will be presented during the May festival. A similar festival is organized in each city participating in the project. Tickets can be purchased for 20/10 lei at the box office or online. Performances will have surtitles in Romanian, English, and Hungarian. The 8:00 PM shows will be followed by audience discussions with simultaneous translation.
The FemminiCity project, implemented in five European countries, aims to amplify women’s voices in urban, political, and social contexts through theatre performances based on real-life experiences. The project is funded by the EU’s Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) program.
FULL PROGRAM:
24.05.2026 – 5:00 PM
12A Happiness Street – Csiky Gergely Hungarian State Theatre
Director: Laurent Berger
25.05.2026 – 5:00 PM & 8:00 PM
From the First to the Last – ZIZ Maribor (Slovenia)
Director: Agnieszka Bresler
26.05.2026 – 5:00 PM & 8:00 PM
Motherpolis. Walk among Absence – Kobietostan Wrocław (Poland)
Director: Emőke Kedves
27.05.2026 – 5:00 PM & 8:00 PM
D.R.I.F.T. – Université Paul Valéry – Montpellier (France)
Directors: Bojan Milosavljević, Iwona Konecka, Jenny Mariani
8.05.2026 – 5:00 PM & 8:00 PM
Broken Coast – Drz Ne Daj Novi Sad Company (Serbia)
Director: Jaka Andrej Vojevec
