"Love has no cause. It exists. It attacks. And if it really attacks you, it is unstoppable. If you feel this force within you, you will be humble. You will have the strength to overcome any loss. Humility increases self confidence. If you have self confidence, you are calm. You are increasingly capable of seeing and understanding situations, of grasping relationships, of putting yourself in the position of the other person. Therefore, if you love, everything is easier: allow yourself this all-forgiving crazy luxury.” The lines of Mihály Kornis's poems summarise the guiding forces behind his rich literary career. His Végre élsz (‘You're Finally Living!') collection of prose on the vagaries of fate and his play Halleluja (Hallelujah) saw the author explode onto the literature scene at the beginning of the 1980s. Irrespective of the genre, he has worked according to the values outlined above with tireless and stubborn persistence. We learn irrepressible love and the exhorting strength of its humility, the tranquillity that comes with self confidence, the humility of overcoming defeat, understanding, compassion and forgiveness form the guiding principle and shining light of Kornis's work. His artistic career has seen successes such as Napkönyv (Day Book, 1994), Sóhajok hídja (The Bridge of Sighs, 1996), Vigasztalások könyve (The Book of Remembrance, 2005), Kádár János utolsó beszéde (The Last Speech of János Kádár, 2006), the selection of his writings entitled Egy kisfiúban élek (I Live Inside a Little Boy) (2015), and the memorable plays Körmagyar (Rounded Hungarian) and Kozma. It's also worth noting that he founded Napló, considered to be the first Samizdat (clandestine) publication in communist-era Hungary. Kornis has worked in several different theatres and is a theatre man to his very bones. His provocative performance style means he is sure to bring the audience along with him every step of the way.

Presented by: Müpa Budapest