Abstract
Abstract In May 1928, the Andrássy Street Theatre in Budapest planned to re-stage a one-act operetta play titled The First Kiss is Mine. Its libretto was written by Jenő Heltai, and the music was composed by Albert Szirmai. The new performance started out as a resounding success. But, referring to current laws on public morality, Ministry of Interior department in charge of controlling public and cultural programmes banned the play without delay, on 18 May, and Minister of the Interior, Béla Scitovszky ordered an investigation into the matter. People referred to the event as a scandal, and the press spoke of it as an absurdity, as the theatre enterprise was endangered by the resulting loss in income. After the ban, the actors were only allowed to perform the play for a commission sent from the Ministry of Interior, and finally, on 22 May, Scitovszky permitted the program after all, with some minor changes. In my study, I reconstruct and present the events of these few days with the help of contemporary journalistic sources (reports, interviews, etc.) – Budapesti Hírlap, Esti Kurir, Magyar Hírlap, Magyarország, Pesti Hírlap, Pesti Napló, Újság, 8 Órai Újság –, the circumstances of the prohibition, the protest and opinion of the playwrights, the position of the commission, the performance for the commission, and the background of the permission for the new performance.
Highlights
People referred to the event as a scandal, and the press spoke of it as an absurdity, as the theatre enterprise was endangered by the resulting loss in income
The libretto had been written by Jen}o Heltai (1871–1957),4 the music had been composed by Albert Szirmai (1880–1967),5 both internationally acknowledged playwrights (Szirmai is often mentioned as Sirmay or Szirmay in non-Hungarian sources)
Before describing reviews written after the ban in 1928, I would like to highlight that after the premiere in 1907 we read the following in the magazine Az Ujsag [The Newspaper], authored by one h.a., “[. . .] The program of the opening evening was quite diverse. [. . .] I really liked Jen}o Heltai’s operetta, Jus primae noctis [. . .] The music of the operetta and the couplets is absolutely insignificant, I shouldn’t even mention it. [. . .]”6 As a preliminary point, I would add that a few decades later, critiques praise the work of both of them
Summary
Hungarian literary historian Zsolt Gy}orei wrote about the plays of Heltai. In the chapter K€ozepkor es reneszansz [The Middle Ages and the Renessaince] he elaborated on the operetta titled Jus Primae Noctis: We stopped on this short, humorous work almost exclusively for the sake of completion. The small Andrassy Street Theatre – as we reported – give a reprise program and tonight it performs Heltai-Szirmai’s operetta Enyem az els}o csok, which was performed twenty years ago on the same stage at the time of the theatre’s opening with Sandor Faludy as director, Albert Szirmai as music director Ferenc Molnar and Jen}o Heltai in charge of dramaturgy. At that time, it was common practice among composers and playwrights that they did not write down their plays, but invited a bunch of actors for a rehearsal, talked together and formed the play as a joint effort. All three acting performances are first-class: funny, witty, fine, and thoughtful operetta playing. [. . .] O€ d€on Farago is a first-class director and actor; and directors Elemer Wertheimer and Lorand Barnabas, as representatives of good taste, provide a decent and yet funny tone to the cabaret.
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