"Upon my thirty-second year..." it's recited in Osonó's performance created based on the ouvre of Attila József, titled I don't exist, only others see me, which is particularly relevant today, on the theatre company's birthday. This consonance, together with the 120th anniversary of the poet's birth, launches today Osonó's long-term project with the title Attila120, which aims to promote Attila József's poetry as broadly as possible. Since its foundation on 3 February 1993, the company has had 187 members and over the years a total of 23 productions have been staged, 6 of which were co-produced with theatres from Thailand, Morocco, Budapest, Italy and Sfântu Gheorghe. In addition to performing, the self-sustaining theatre workshop has organised thousands of educational and social projects for youth and adults. Over these 32 years, the company has staged a total of 1,657 performances, 1,248 of them in the last ten years, as an independent theatre in 331 cities of 28 countries on 3 continents. Osonó Theatre's projects and performances have been recognised with 55 national and international awards so far. This year, one of the most important objectives of Osonó, in the context of the Attila120 project, is to further consider the means by which the Theatre can reach a wider audience, to address as many people as possible. Premiered almost three years ago, I don't exist, only others see me will be presented in several schools as an irregular literature class, and as a monodrama in alternative spaces. In April, the performance will embark on a ten-day European tour.

"The performance was deep and profoundly moving. It offered a different approach to József Attila than what we had encountered before." Last week, we presented our performance I Am Not, Only Others See Me, based on the writings of József Attila, in Gyergyószárhegy. From the very first moment, the audience’s attention and their connection to the depth of the performance were palpable. During the post-performance discussion, topics such as homelessness, the search for identity, trauma, loneliness, exclusion, and the contemporary relevance of the emotions in József Attila’s texts were explored. It was enlightening to realize that through his words, we were essentially speaking about ourselves. We are grateful for the audience’s insightful attention and for the personal reflections shared in the discussion after the performance. Special thanks to Bélá Kolcsár for organizing the event! This event was made possible with the support of the Bethlen Gábor Fund.

"This performance was really cool. We could focus much better than if it had been a traditional recital. Many moments felt personal, and we could truly relate to them." On Tuesday morning, we performed our show titled "I Am Not, Only Others See Me", based on József Attila’s texts, twice at the Benedek Elek Pedagogical High School in Odorheiu Secuiesc. These unconventional literature classes, made possible with the support of the Bethlen Gábor Fund, provided students with the perfect opportunity to immerse themselves in the poet’s works. During the post-performance discussion, the texts opened up a space for self-reflection and a deeper understanding of the contemporary relevance of József Attila’s poetry. Themes such as poverty, marginalization, exclusion, societal expectations, and the challenges of the future were explored. We are deeply grateful for the audience’s engaged attention and for the personal thoughts shared during the discussion following the performance!

"It was great to finally see and hear more about another poet. There have been so many performances about Petőfi and Arany, and now it felt good to dive deeper into József Attila’s world. His life truly touched me." On Monday morning, we performed our show titled "I Am Not, Only Others See Me", based on József Attila’s texts, twice at Téglás Gábor Theoretical High School in Déva. These unconventional literature classes, made possible with the support of the Bethlen Gábor Fund, provided the perfect space to explore and reflect on the poet’s life and works. We are grateful for the trust of the school, the openness of the students, and the personal reflections shared during the post-performance discussion. Topics such as loneliness, parental absence, searching for meaning, visions of the future, love, and the lack of it were explored. It was truly inspiring to see how József Attila’s words still resonate with today’s youth!

"I could relate to many aspects of this performance. Now, as a 12th grader, the themes of self-discovery and finding one’s path feel very relevant to me." Yesterday at noon, at the Ferencváros Cultural Center, we performed our show titled "I Am Not, Only Others See Me", based on József Attila’s texts, for the students of the Kisképző Secondary School of Visual Arts and Dormitory. This unconventional literature class, supported by the Municipality of Ferencváros, Budapest's 9th District, provided a meaningful opportunity for 12th-grade students to delve into the poet’s writings. The post-performance discussion opened up a space for sharing personal thoughts inspired by the performance. Thank you for your attention and for allowing yourselves to get closer to József Attila’s personality and poetry!

"Many aspects of this performance feel very relevant to our lives today. Sitting in a circle made it much easier to focus, and I was captivated by the way these texts were delivered as if they were spoken naturally." On Thursday, at the Ferencváros Cultural Center, we presented our performance titled "I Am Not, Only Others See Me", based on József Attila’s texts, for the students of the Gundel Károly Hospitality and Tourism Technical School. This unconventional literature class, supported by the Municipality of Ferencváros, Budapest's 9th District, provided students with the perfect opportunity to immerse themselves in the poet's writings. During the post-performance discussion, the texts sparked meaningful conversations about ourselves and offered a chance to reflect on the timeless relevance of József Attila’s poetry. Themes such as poverty, marginalization, alienation, societal expectations, and challenges related to the future were explored. We are deeply grateful for the attentive audience and for the personal thoughts shared during the discussion following the performance!

"This performance was really cool. It was eye-opening to realize that József Attila was just a human being. I could relate to so many of the texts!" In recent days, we presented our performance I Am Not, Only Others See Me, based on József Attila’s writings, twice at Salamon Ernő High School in Gyergyószentmiklós. These special literature classes, made possible with the support of the Bethlen Gábor Fund, provided an ideal space for students to explore the poet’s life and texts and to reflect on them further. From the very first moments, the students' attention was palpable, and we experienced a true Meeting through Theater. We are grateful for the trust of the school and teachers, the openness of the students, and the thoughts and many questions shared during the post-performance discussion. Topics such as loneliness, the absence of parents, searching for one’s path, visions of the future, love, and its absence were all brought up. It was inspiring to see how relevant József Attila’s words still are for young people today!

"There was so much emotion in the performance, and it came through very strongly. We were able to relate it to our own lives. Personally, I realized by the end of the play that my life is better than I had thought." On Wednesday morning, we presented our performance I Am Not, Only Others See Me, based on József Attila’s writings, twice at Bányai János Technical High School in Székelyudvarhely. These special literature classes, made possible with the support of the Bethlen Gábor Fund, provided an excellent opportunity for students to immerse themselves in the poet’s texts. During the discussion following the performance, students shared personal reflections inspired by what they had heard. We are grateful for the audience’s attention and for allowing themselves to connect more deeply with József Attila’s life and poetry!

"In this performance, the texts came to life, and it was wonderful to realize that I have grown into understanding them. It was deep and truly moving." On Tuesday evening, we performed our show titled "I Am Not, Only Others See Me", based on József Attila’s texts, in Șimonești. From the very first moment, the audience’s attention and deep connection with the performance were palpable. During the post-performance discussion, we explored themes such as homelessness, searching for meaning, trauma, loneliness, exclusion, and the contemporary relevance of emotions found in József Attila’s works. It was inspiring to realize that, through these texts, we were ultimately talking about ourselves. We are deeply grateful for the audience’s engaged presence and for the personal thoughts shared in the discussion following the performance. A special thank you to Betty Király for organizing the event and to the Șimonești theater group for their warm hospitality and welcoming atmosphere! This event was made possible with the support of the Bethlen Gábor Fund.

"This performance was a completely different experience from any previous recitations of József Attila’s texts I have heard. I loved it—it was personal, present, and absolutely captivating." On Sunday afternoon, we performed our show titled "I Am Not, Only Others See Me", based on József Attila’s texts, at MáSzínház in Budapest. From the very first moment, the audience’s attention and deep resonance with the performance were palpable. During the post-performance discussion, we explored themes such as homelessness, searching for meaning, trauma, loneliness, exclusion, and the contemporary relevance of emotions found in József Attila’s works. It was inspiring to realize that, through these texts, we were ultimately talking about ourselves. We are deeply grateful for the audience’s attentive presence and for the personal reflections shared during the discussion. Thank you to MáSzínház for organizing and partnering with us on this event! This event was made possible with the support of the Municipality of Ferencváros, Budapest’s 9th District.

Between 27 and 30 January, the production I don't exist, only the others see me, based on the texts of Attila József, will be performed ten times. The audience will be able to see the production as an unconventional literature class and classroom performance, as well as a studio theatre performance, in Deva, Odorheiu Secuiesc, Șimonești, Lăzarea and Gheorgheni. The tour is supported by the Hungarian Government. The 55-minute monodrama, based on the texts of Attila József, searches for the topicality and evocability of the poet's oeuvre, while the subsequent conversation gives the performance the opportunity to become a real dialogue. Performed by Oszkár Mucha and directed by Misi Fazakas, the texts recited in the performance are not only lyrical works, but also thoughts reborn in the present tense as a pretext. The poems will be accompanied by fragments from the poet's autobiography and from A Collection of Free Associations. The texts performed in the production include not only lyrical works but also excerpts from the poet's autobiography and his Free Notes. These writings are presented as thoughts reborn in the present, serving as a pretext for personal reflection. How can someone so distant feel so close to us? József Attila’s life challenges are extremes beyond our comprehension, yet his anger resonates with ours, his throat tightens with our tears, and his mustache smiles above our lips. Osonó invites you to a personal meeting: with each other and with József Attila. This meeting allows the poet to sit among us, look at us, share a morsel of wisdom for the road, and let his well-known words unfold in ways we’ve never encountered. An entire life emerges from lines of poetry: mine, yours, or perhaps that of a poor friend named Attila. Audience feedback from previous performances: "This performance truly opened up József Attila's personality for me." "I didn’t particularly like József Attila’s poems before, but this performance brought them closer to me." "As a teacher, I used to teach these texts as poetry, but here they felt conversational, as if the thoughts were born on the spot, making them much more personal and relatable for the students." Tour schedule: January 27, 10:00: Deva, Téglás Gábor School Center January 27, 12:00: Deva, Téglás Gábor School Center January 28, 10:00: Odorheiu Secuiesc, Benedek Elek Pedagogical High School January 28, 12:00: Odorheiu Secuiesc, Benedek Elek Pedagogical High School January 28, 19:00: Șimonești, Cultural Center January 29, 10:00: Odorheiu Secuiesc, Bányai János Technical High School January 29, 12:00: Odorheiu Secuiesc, Bányai János Technical High School January 29, 18:00: Lăzarea, Cultural Hall - Cika Room January 30, 09:00: Gheorgheni, Salamon Ernő High School January 30, 11:00: Gheorgheni, Salamon Ernő High School

"This performance completely captivated me. It brought József Attila closer to me, making him come alive in a way I had never experienced before. This experience reinforced how important it is to see the child in another person." To celebrate Hungarian Culture Day, we presented our performance titled "I Am Not, Only Others See Me", based on József Attila’s texts, at Kelet Café and Gallery in Budapest. From the very first moment, the audience’s attention and their resonance with the depth of the performance were palpable. During the post-performance discussion, we delved into topics such as homelessness, searching for purpose, trauma, loneliness, exclusion, and the timeless relevance of the emotions within József Attila’s texts. It was inspiring to realize that, through these texts, we were ultimately talking about ourselves. We are deeply grateful for the audience's attentive presence and the personal thoughts shared during the discussion. Many thanks to Kelet Café and Gallery for partnering with us in organizing this event!