Alpár Ágnes: A kabaré - A fővárosi kabarék műsora, 1945-1980 (MSZI, Budapest, 1981)

Resume

RESUME The Hungarian Institute for Theatre published a book in 1978 under the title „The Programs of Cabarets from 1901 to 1944". Sketching the short history of more than 70 cabarets and enlisting their whole program the book lends a hand to research workers occupied with the thorough investigation of the complicated and adventurous history of this genre. This volume demonstrates that the Hungarian cabaret, born in 1901, was a constant factor of Hungarian political and social life till the end of the second world war. This second volume goes to prove that the genre of cabaret was not annihilated by the war but survived all distress and justifying people's original belief in life it remained a living element of public life. After the liberation the history of the cabaret started with the removal of ruins. Stages had to be restored, ruined equipments made up, collapsed entrances had to be made suitable for traffic. Podium Cabaret was the first to start in 1945. With the liberation a new period started in the history of Hungarian cabaret : for the first time it transmitted public humour to various social layers, to masses. Great masses turned towards the genre of cabaret and this social need changed the cabaret a good deal. It stopped being the entertainment of the middle-classes; visited its audience in factories. The cabaret ensemble of Free Nation, the official paper of the Communist Party and Ludas Matyi Cabaret were such propaganda oriented companies catering for new social demands. These mushroom cabarets and variety shows were soon closed owing to the delusion that humour and satire are perverse, self-existent and have no place in a society that builds socialism. In 1949 when libel actions started the choky atmosphere of distrust hold domination over our intellectual life. During the years of dogmatic cultural policy the freedom of speech and press were limited to a great extent. Cabaret had its roots in the political publicity of journalism from Nagy Endre's first cabaret onwards. The most outstanding cabaret founders and announcers were journalists and put journalism on the cabaret stage. The revival of cabaret was attached to decisive