October 23rd, 1956, a revolution started in Hungary. Hungarians fought Soviet troops on the streets, from their homes, and from the Corvin Cinema, the Revolutionary Headquarters.

Deborah Pearson loosely “translates” the entirety of the Hungarian film that was meant to be premièred at that cinema on that day. A 1956 Hungarian Football comedy gives way to the stories of a writer who lost his name, an actor who lost his voice, and a country that lost its revolution. 

History History History is a House on Fire research and development commission with Theatre Garonne (Toulouse) and Bit Teatergarasjen (Bergen). It was developed in part at the National Theatre Studio with dramaturgy by Daniel Kitson and Tania El Khoury.

Deborah Pearson returns to Mayfest following 2014’s hit The Future Show.

“You can sift through photographs and records and ancestry.co.uk and wonder to yourself, who the f*ck were these people, and how long does it take before I can take their tiny, infinitesimal decisions to go for coffee that day, or to wear blue, or to ride horseback, how long does it take before I can take these for granted as having been not simply silly ridiculous maybe even thoughtless decisions, but as being the events and non events and failures and successes that led to me. Not just being born, but being here. Being in this room with all of you, at this moment?”

“An absolute joy.”  – Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman, on a work-in-progress sharing of History History History

History History History Trailer from Deborah Pearson