There are not so many things that can be described as unique in today's theater world, but the Quite small theater from Levice by husband and wife Rii and Peťa Mészároš definitely belongs to them. This chamber art association can be called Czechoslovak in the true sense of the word, because Peť's roots go back to the Czech Republic, although he has lived in Slovakia all his life. And the Celkom small theater is celebrating the twentieth anniversary of its operation this year.
When and how was the Quite Little Theater created?
Ria: The rather small theater was created as a spontaneous project, which at the time of its creation was far from setting itself the ambition of a twenty-year existence. Me and Peťo were newly married and before that we played in different theaters. Of course, after we established a relationship, we tried to act in one ensemble. At the same time, we offered titles to the repertoire that appealed to us and were convenient for us. Reluctance, disagreement are not always harmful. It prompted us to try to follow our own path, our own vision. And so in 2002, the Very Small Theater was created.
Your director for many years was Edo Šebian. When did your collaboration start and do you sometimes do theater with other directors?
Petr: Our "courtly" director Edko Šebian was at the very beginning of the Celkom malé dyadál. As Ria indicated, our presentation effort was unique in its own way. Edo Šebian exactly fulfilled our ideas of theatrical form. The result was a very successful first production of Záhrad bez zeme. There was no reason to change the director... Especially when we understand each other humanly and theatrically. Later we also approached other directors, or they reached out to us. Since we are open to any meaningful cooperation, we nodded. First, I was approached by my colleague Vladimír Tóth, who himself was the author of the text Príbehy z mezpóspochio with the intention of staging this work. We agreed. As the years passed, we felt together that we were slipping into a certain routine. That's when our long-time friend Peter Luptovský appeared, who introduced us to the world of alternative, or physical theater. We realized 4 productions with him: About deeds and existences, Take on me!, Little cleaning and Play Karenina. We are currently working with Valentín Kozaňák on the show How to cook a frog. We are preparing another show with Zuzana and Vojtech Koleják from Bratislava, the show When was the last time?. Cooperation with other directors is partly forced due to Edek Šebian's deteriorating health.
You have almost two dozen productions in your repertoire. Is it even within the actor's capacity to control all those texts?
Ria: Having two dozen productions in our repertoire is possible precisely because we are a chamber theater, the backbone of which is our acting tandem: Ria and Petr Mészárošovci. It is, of course, more complicated with productions in which several actors participate, be it actors or a supporting team. Of course, some productions have gone out of fashion, and since we have also gotten older, we would probably no longer be credible in some plays. However, there are productions that are more than fifteen years old and we still have them in the repertoire. As for lyrics and memory, it gets harder every year. Then it is necessary to carry out the so-called duster, i.e. movement and text refreshment test. But he still remembers the body and head. In most cases, one test is really enough.
Your productions are usually about two actors. How do you look for suitable templates for this type of chamber theater?
Petr: The priority is really to find theater plays with a minimum cast. Preferably male and female. There are different ways to find such texts. Sometimes I'm interested in something at a theater festival, sometimes I'm interested in something through the (apparently defunct) magazine Divadlo žieve, broadcast on CT. Another time I will dive deep into synopsis studies at the theater institute. I must admit that the Czech theater field is much more fertile than the Slovak one. There are many more translations and original works in the Czech Republic. We allow ourselves to modify some for our needs. We even had some of them translated, of course for a financial fee. And even, sometimes I am only interested in a strong conflict even in a game with several or even many characters. In that case, I will extract the conflict and rewrite it to the chamber's number of characters. This is the case, for example, Razumovská Záhrady bez zeme, or Stodola Bačová's wife. Director Peter Luptovský even went further when he adapted the two-volume work Anna Karenina into four characters, one of which was even mute, for an hour-long performance. Working with the text, selection and editing usually takes up most of the time when creating a production.
Is the dramaturgy of the Kolem Small Theater focused only on a specific selection of productions or are you open to playing anything?
Ria: As Peťo already mentioned, we are open to any kind of cooperation if we feel that it will move us somewhere. Either as an actor, as a person, or at least in an effort to try something new, different. We may not be able to play anything, but we are willing to grasp the productions we believe in in any way. From this title, we tried classic conversational theater, physical, movement, and children's theater. It is not always the form that is decisive, but the content.
You are both employed in a field other than theater. How do you manage to play fifty shows a year in addition to your job and not suffer from submarine sickness?
Petr: I still say: You will not be evaluated according to whether your house is tidy, but according to what you give to people. That's why we try to live actively. How all this can be done is often a mystery even to me. Everything is a matter of priority. In addition, it might be unimaginable for someone that in addition to my job and the theater, I actively play ice hockey (today only at the amateur-veteran level), I play in a band that performs at weddings and balls, I go out into nature so actively that I have walked the path of SNP heroes ... Ria is actively involved in folklore, she danced in several folklore ensembles. We have three children, one granddaughter. A cat, a dog and a garden. Time is a commodity you can't buy. It should be used wisely.
You play theater all over Slovakia but also abroad. In which countries have you played and how do foreign audiences react to your performances?
Ria: We recently took stock, as this year we are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the theater. We played in the Czech Republic, Great Britain, Belgium, Latvia, Poland, Hungary, Serbia and Ukraine. In the case of performances, it is necessary to distinguish whether they are drama, i.e. a performance with a text in the Slovak language, or a non-verbal performance. They understand movement, expression, emotion everywhere in the world. In the case of the spoken word, these were mostly performances for Slovaks or Czechs living abroad. And reactions? So far we have not encountered apathy, rejection. Everywhere they received our theater kindly, even enthusiastically. In Belgium, for example, we they sold out three shows. In Riga, Latvia, they fell in love with my Anna Karenina. We probably experienced the warmest reception in Ukraine, where we even won an international festival. The viewers in Ukraine were really eager and appreciated a piece of good work regardless of nationality. Our desire is to return there again, and I believe that, despite the unfavorable current situation, it will come true in the near future.
Do you also participate in theater shows and festivals? Have you received any significant awards for your work?
Petr: If I were to list all the awards we have achieved, it would be a long and boring list. That's why I won't mention all of them. I will focus only on the most interesting ones: for Ria and I, it was nineteen times the prize for acting performance, even once for acting interplay (I didn't know that such a prize was awarded until then), we won many times at the regional festival, several times at the national festival. With the production The Visit of the Young Lady, we won the Golden Gunner at the Kremnické Gags for the best comedy of the year in Slovakia, and the Grand Prix at the international festival "Lichtart" in Rivne, Ukraine, with the production O skutoch a jestvovaniech. Not everything can be measured by a location. We were chosen to represent Slovakia at the SPOT of WEST festival in Belgium, where we were confronted without giving away places with ensembles from Colombia, Australia, Belgium, Japan, Latvia and other countries. Above all, it is necessary to say that the awards are pleasant, but it is not the main reason why we play theater.
Which of your productions do you like to play the most and why?
Petr: A very difficult question to answer. That's like asking a mother which child she likes best... Each production is different, specific, more successful, less successful, not very successful... you'll still love your child. Perhaps it is easier to answer the question of what I play well or what I like to play. I like to play anything I can relate to. Which has a certain telling value. But if I can say for myself, I have two favorite characters: Helver in Helver's Night and Jean in Miss Julia. But now that I'm projecting in my head what I've played, I'm sorry that I only mentioned two characters. I can think of others that weren't any worse (at least in my opinion) and I like them just as much. Rather, I can think of which characters I don't like to play (for various reasons and there are few of them), but I won't mention them.
The COVID pandemic interrupted theater activities throughout Slovakia for a long time. Are you currently preparing a new production?
Ria: We are currently behind the successful premiere of Czech author Petr Strnad's How to Cook a Frog. The child was born, took his first steps, and we ourselves are curious about how successful he will be in life. At the same time, we have been preparing the comedy When was the last time for a long time. This text had to be translated into Slovak from French. Both the first and second productions were, or will be, the Slovak premiere. This means that our theater will perform it for the Slovak audience first.
How do you feel working under the baton of a new director with many years of experience in the Prague theater?
Petr: Valentín Kozaňák and I have known each other for "one hundred years". Well, not to exaggerate... since 1992. I know his work, his directors. I myself was a member of the Prague theater for several years. It is therefore no coincidence that we met at theatrical and non-theatrical events. During one non-specific evening, "word gave word" and the collaboration began. And what is she like? It could be described in one word: good... but also in another: inspiring... We ourselves have felt for a long time that we are not moving anywhere, that although we offer quality, even quality can be stereotypical. Valentine's Day blew a new wind into our sails. We may have ventured into uncharted territory and left our proven territory, but it is worth it. Who does not discover, does not know... Of course, a step into the unknown is associated with certain fears, but the audience's reactions after the premiere show that we did well.
What does theater mean to you personally in life and why have you been doing it for two decades?
Ria: Well, this is probably the most difficult and personal question for me. In addition, I feel that you are asking for an evaluation before the end or halfway. I believe that we will continue to do theater. And in the question there is also the statement that we have been doing it for two decades. That's not true, to put it mildly the complete truth. The truth is that we have been creating and playing in the Celkom malo divadlo for a total of twenty years. But otherwise, we play theater much longer.
Petr: I first noticed certain aptitudes for the theater in high school. Student programs, invention, class clown, this is a clear qualification for VŠMU. Well, wonder the world - they didn't accept me. I did not repeat the attempt in my impudence.
Ria: It was very similar for me. Not accepted, do not repeat.
Petr: But after some years, I got to the Slovak Pohron Stage, which no longer exists. It was a category A set (early-borns know what I'm talking about). And since then, I owe a lot to the theater. Also in personal life. Don't be afraid to stand up in front of the crowd. Read volumes of literary works.
Ria: Know how to argue. Get to know famous characters, famous authors, creators, judges, critics, but also first loves.
Petr: When the film was made, many predicted the demise of the theater. However, the theater remained. It remained for centuries. Since ancient times. And it will be forever. We are honored to be part of it.
Text and photo: Vladimír Dubeň