View source for Universitas Ensemble, Budapest

Universitas Ensemble was founded in 1962 at Eötvös University, Budapest (one of Hungary’s most prestigious universities). This time in Hungary amateur theatres were less controlled by the state as the professional ones, they could perform plays that were otherwise prohibited and experiment with acting styles. Universitas had a special situation even among amateur groups, it enjoyed more freedom. During the first period there were three directors working with the group: Éva Mezei (one of the rare female directors of the time), József Ruszt, Vilmos Dobai. A lot of plays were first performed in Hungary by Universitas. Mezei’s oratorical theatre pieces and Ruszt’s experiments with the tradition of educational theatre pieces of the Baroque and Enlightenment and contemporary psychophysical theatre were important alternatives to the officially promoted psychorealist acting style. In 1969 Ruszt was expelled due to political issues, which marked the end of an important era. After a chaotic period (with a lot of fluctuance) Ruszt was rehabilitated and began to work with a renowned group. Following the path of Grotowski he developed his own version of poor and holy theatre. Between 1972 and 1974 István Paál, the leader of Szeged University Theatre directed two plays and held trainings for the actors. Ruszt was again forced to leave the group as a harsher cultural and political climate began in Hungary in 1973. Universitas existed in different forms until 1991. 

See the productions, the interviews and the reference list [https://hiaszt.hu/universitas-ensemble-budapest/ here].