Noémi Kecskés
Career profile of Ádám Lux. From soul to soul by the soul
“I believe that we have a duty to use this strange and ineffable thing we call talent to speak, to give, to raise awareness. With quiet words or, if need be, with a loud shout, but really to be the ones who stir the spirit in our souls. This can only be achieved if we give of ourselves, completely and fully” said Ádám Lux in his academic address on 23 April 2024 at the Vigadó concert Hall, Budapest. From the very beginning of his career, the artist has been guided by this central idea, shaping his characters with his usual perfectionism and giving his soul to the audience night after night at each performance.
Ádám Lux's path to acting is predetermined, as his mother Julianna Fennesz, a Hungarian teacher, and his father Alfred Lux, a writer-translator-teacher, create a family environment that supports the reception of cultural content. The family regularly attends the opera and the father has a collection of 5000 books at home. The artist, who is reserved in his private life, says that the desire to perform, which began to emerge at a very early age, when he was three, drives him to entertain visiting relatives and friends on a stool. At primary school, he is a regular participant in recitation and prose competitions, where he has won several prizes. It was here that he caught the attention of Alfréd Wiegmann, the director of the amateur theatre company of the Technical University's Szkéné Theatre, who invited him to join the theatre circle, which led to his falling “fatally and irreversibly in love with the miracle we call theatre” between the ages of 14 and 18. He shows his talent as a member of the Toldy Ferenc Grammar School theatre in countless classical and 20th century plays, and after graduating in 1982 he is admitted to the Színház- és Filmművészeti Főiskola (College of Theatre and Film Arts), first class, in 1983, to study under masters such as István Horvai and Dezső Kapás, where he begins his studies after a year of military service. Following the academic years, seven out of the nine students graduate. [1]
Although we associate him mainly with psychological dramas, his first success came in the college exam play Godspell. The musical production, much of which is addressed to the audience in the style of commedia dell'arte, is an exciting venture for the young prose students. The performances of the newcomers have been critically acclaimed:
“The story, based on the Gospel of Matthew, is just a framework, filled with witty ideas by the students under the guidance of Istvan Iglódi, the director-teacher. Their singing and movement were as crystal clear and coordinated as you would expect in a musical. Only, being a prose class, they also showed some of their mastery in a multi-faceted performance. They were exuberant, not afraid to be boisterous, only to change gears in an instant and portray the betrayal and suffering of Jesus with dramatic force. Class IV/A, with its three guest performers, passed the test primarily as a creative ensemble. To single out any one of them is arbitrary. Thus Jozsef Szarvas, with his profound humanity and wisdom, as the master of the play-Jesus. Ádám Lux's dynamically moving, rubber-faced play. Zoltan Megyeri's chirpy kindness. Antal Cserna’s and Zoltan Seress's sarcastic humour, Csaba Jantyik’s and Zoltán Csankó's character creation, and the emotional richness of the girls, Éva Varga, Judit Román and Judit Jónás. But we'll soon get to know their faces and learn their names.” [2]
In addition to the critics, Miklós Gábor Kerényi, who is also in the audience, also takes notice of the talented young people. Although the desire of recent college graduates is to prove themselves on the stage of a theatre in the capital, the Budapest-born actor chooses to stay in Debrecen contrary to the Budapest-centred approach of the time. The Csokonai Nemzeti Színház (Csokonai National Theatre) in Debrecen builds on Ádám Lux, Csaba Jantyik and Éva Varga, who are immediately contracted and put on Godspell, directed by Miklós Gábor Kerényi, which again received a very positive critical reception. The journalist of Film Színház Muzsika (Film, Theatre, Music) states:
“Three of the performers, Éva Varga, Csaba Jantyik, Ádám Lux, were part of the college performance, and they move with a corresponding familiarity on stage. They are in the game, and Ádám Lux in particular feels the Godspell style.” [3]
This time, Ildikó Csizner is not stingy with words of praise either:
“Éva Varga, Csaba Jantyik and Ádám Lux are the soul of the performance... In the story of the prodigal son, Ádám Lux forces the division of the fortune with a perfectly tailored karate move, only to give up his role and lend his voice to the returning son, and tell his woe and sorrow in English. But he is the one with an idea in almost every play. Whether he's tap-dancing, mumbling imitative words to add colour to a scene in progress, or simply musing, his relaxed clownish style is always worth noting.” [4]
His performance in the production won him the first prize, and in 1998 he was awarded a prize for outstanding artistic achievement. Ildikó Csizner, in her review of the musical A padlás (The Attic), one of the most iconic plays in Hungarian theatre history, praises the performance of the 560-year-old Prince in the musical, and in Ildikó Csizner's review under the title Felelnek a klasszikusok (The Classics Respond) [5], she emphasises that the Prince played by Ádám Lux has a soul. In doing so, she confirms his artistic credo that the essence of theatre is to a higher level, for which the actor must also give his own soul. The theatre in Debrecen does not limit him to a certain role, but gives the young actor the opportunity to show his other side in a dramatic performance. In January 1988, he successfully played Alan in August Strindberg's (director: Gergely Horváth Z. Horváth) play Haláltánc (Death Dance). In his review, János Csontos described Ádám Lux as a bright spot in the production, whose “individual style gives rise to great hopes”. [6]
Despite the fact that he feels comfortable in Debrecen and owes his first professional successes to the capital of Hajdúság, he believes that his opportunities are more limited in the countryside and that he can make his dreams come true in Budapest, at the József Attila Színház (József Attila Theatre). [7]
The next era of theatre in Angyalföld is associated with productions such as Eszményi Gyilkos (Ideal Murderer), based on the novel by Agatha Christie and directed by Árpád Jutocsa Hegyi, in which he plays Ian Warwick (1990). An important milestone in his career is the drama Madárka (Birdy) directed by Csaba Tasnádi, in which he plays Al (1992), and Éjjeli Menedékhely (Night Shelter), directed by Erzsébet Gaál (1993), in which he takes on the role of the Baron. In the meantime, as a guest artist, he makes a small foray into Pécs, playing Demetrius in the production of Szenivánéji álom (A Midsummer Night's Dream) directed by György Lengyel (1991).
Ádám Lux is not satisfied with “just” playing. He wants to be the driving force and the soul of his company, and enthusiastically recommends William Wharton's novel Madárka (Birdy) to the theatre director of the time, Peter Léner, encouraging him to put it on stage. His long cherished dream thus becomes reality, and the project is so carefully managed that he not only works on the text with dramaturg Ildikó Csizner, but also secures sponsors for its realisation. He is delighted to be able to prove himself on a studio stage, up close and personal. [8]
The success of the project is also confirmed by the fact that the theatre's economic director has the power to award the two main actors with a cash prize.
His short four-year period with the József Attila Theatre ends in 1993, as he longs for a more inspiring environment, is not satisfied with his roles, and feels the company's influence on cultural life is not strong enough. Later this year, audiences can see him as a member of the Szigligeti Színház (Szigligeti Theatre) company in Szolnok. He contemplated:
“The Szigligeto Theatre is closer to my vision. For me, individual success is secondary, I judge the artistic strength of a company by its ability to create value. I believe very much in the future of theatre in general, and here in Szolnok in particular.” [9]
Autumn will once again bring the artist successes, exciting roles in which he can bring out his dramatic acting skills. In November, he shows off his conscious performance in Clavigó, directed by László Bagossy. His performances are not only critically acclaimed, but he has also won the love and appreciation of audiences, and play has been a resounding success. The drama Angyal szállt le Babilonba (An Angel Has Landed in Babylon), in which Zoltán Mucsi, Attila Epres and Krisztina Bíró are among his partners, is associated with this period. The high hopes with which he had arrived at the Szigligeti Theatre vanished after two years. In 1995 director György Spiró was replaced by György Schwajda. Differences in outlook lead to the fact that, although Ádám Lux believes and trusts in the company's existence, he becomes a freelance actor. Financial insecurity does not threaten him and he receives a steady stream of requests. In 2019 he is awarded the Jászai Mari Prize, and in 2021 he is awarded the title of Meritorious Artist of Hungary. He has taken on roles close to his heart, appearing with numerous theatre companies and working with directors such as Gábor Tompa, Tamás Ascher, Zsolt Pozsgai and Imre Csiszár. The most significant in his search for his own path is his meeting with writer-director Zsolt Pozsgai. He took over the title role from Tibor Mertz in the drama Szeretlek, Faust (I Love You, Faust), which premiered at the Jászai Mari Színház (Jászai Mari Theatre) in Tatabánya in 1995, and in October 2005 the Aranytíz Teátrum (Aranytíz Theatre) staged the play directed by József Kiss. The story of the priest obsessed with his faith and the successful actor who tempts him, Pál Jávor, will be performed at the Újszínház from autumn 2012. With Armand Kautzky, the pair work brilliantly, as the two opposing personalities present two different perspectives on life. This role is already a testament to the mature artist's excellent characterisation. This is how Dr Ágnes Petővári sees the play of the two protagonists:
“Their play is imbued with sincerity, dynamism, an unconditional belief in the truth of the drama, its message and an inner conviction. Ádám Lux plays Mindszenty. He portrays a man tormented, suffering, but unbroken, alongside the tough high priest concerned for the people.” [10]
Ádám Lux admits that his father, who told him about József Mindszenty, helped him a lot in his preparation for the title role, which requires total mental, physical, spiritual and nervous dedication:
“They lived close to the Mária Magdolna-templom (Church of St. Mary Magdalene), where Mindszenty served. Even as a child he “knew” it, because he was always told under which window not to shout or scream, because parish priest Mindszenty used to rest at this time. Then he paid more attention to him in the church... So József Mindszenty came into the family at this time and in this way.” [11]
Being a Christian man, his ongoing living relationship with God helped shape him:
“We went to church, but we entered the Kruspér utca chapel through a back entrance from Budafoki út , through the gate of an apartment building, because of my mother, who was the principal of the Arany János primary school and high school in Sashegy, and the authorities of the time did not look kindly on a school principal going to church. Religious education was also a “conspiracy” in our school. Our nursery school teacher, Aunt Mária Balogh, came to our flat. There were four of us boys at home. Later we went to Dr. Tibor Terebesi for Bible study. He administered the vows to all four of us in the family, and even to my mother and my father in 1956.” [12]
He made his Vígszínház debut in 1996 in the most successful musical of all times, A padlás (The Attic), following a theatrical accident with his college classmate, Antal Cserna, in which he dressed as the Prince nearly 500 times over 14 years and turned the pages of the Varázskönyv (Magic Book) by Ernő Rubik. This period also saw two musical productions, Elisabeth (1996), directed by Miklós Gábor Kerényi, in which he played Franz Joseph, and Luxemburg grófja (Count of Luxembourg) (1996), directed by Tamás Ascher, in which he played the title role. He has been a dabbler in roles, playing Damis in Molière's Tartuffe (1996), Benedek Csatári in Pozsgai's drama Fekete méz (Black Honey) (1998) and Antipholus of Syracuse in Tévedések vígjátéka (The comedy of errors) directed by Tamás Puskás (1999).
His performance in the stage version of Mihály Babits' novel Gólyakalifa (The Stork Caliph) can be interpreted as a full expression of his intellectual and spiritual skills. According to Katalin Metz, the editorial colleague and theatre critic of Magyar Nemzet, “the actor's expressions are economical, he does not exaggerate or downplay, although this hero, struggling with extreme psychological turmoil, offers to “overact” the role. He glows from within, he “plays” with his whole being, there are no empty passages or false asides in his diction. He is restrained in his passion and exuberance, guarding the authenticity of the given moments on stage. The spiritual discrepancy, the double consciousness, the fabled stork's nest, not only requires a special expressive power from the actor, not only places a great burden on him, but presumably also brings him pleasure, for what could be a more rewarding task than to capture on stage the other self that lies behind our everyday self, and the ultimate collision of these two?” [13]
According to Éva Fejős, Ádám Lux brought the miracle:
“Unfortunately I didn't get to see Iván Darvas in Egy őrült naplója (The Diary of a Madman) I did see Ádám Lux in Gólyakalifa (The Stork Caliph). I was a bit worried about how he would be able to bring the schizophrenic Babits hero to life and keep the audience interested until the end of the play. But Ádám Lux brought the miracle. The space separating the auditorium from the stage disappeared, and we, the audience, sweated breathlessly as the protagonist's madness took over and his mind wrestled with itself: the European count turned into an African American.” [14]
In the following years, he appeared in A visszhanglány holdhercege (The Moon Prince of the Echo Girl) (2002), Richard the Lionheart in Az oroszlán télen (The Lion in Winter) (2003), Kornél Vizy in Édes Anna (Sweet Anna) (2005), Félix Werner in Farkasasszony (The Wolf Woman) (2007) and Mikhail Ivanovich Zuvolyov in the monodrama Feljegyzések az egérlyukból (Notes from the Mouse Hole) (2009) directed by Zsolt Pozsgai.
In the latter, he demonstrates that psychological drama seems to have been invented just for him. He shines in the role, with a complete baring of his soul, almost without props or props, his monologues are brilliantly staged, and critics have praised him for it:
“Ádám Lux carries the whole performance on his shoulders alone, with no help from anyone but an almost human-sized puppet, who plays Lina the prostitute, Luka his friend, or his conscience. A bed and a screen and two chairs are all the props. Lights and shadows and music add to the devastating effect the production has on the audience, and also highlight the acting. The hardest and most demanding task for an actor is to hold the audience's attention for an hour and a half, so that they can follow the play's events silently and actively. Ádám Lux succeeds in this feat perfectly, and can only be praised for his performance. There is not a single unnecessary gesture, and he shows as much of the character's pitiable wretchedness as is necessary.” [15]
It is worth mentioning Portugál (Portuguese), showcasing a recurring motif in Chekhov's dramas, which focuses on the theme of disenchantment. Ádám Lux has nothing in common with the character of Csipesz, yet he is authentic as the former taxi driver, a regular at the local pub. He is an important character for the play, as he is the only one who sometimes travels from the small village to Pest. In this role, the artist's personal conviction, which he also refers to in his academic thesis, is manifested: “many epoch-making performances have been created by great directors with a good eye who saw in an actor the possibility of portraying a character who was the most different from his original character”.
His freelance period includes such well-known classics as Kreutzer szonáta (The Kreutzer Sonata) (2013), A funtineli boszorkány (The Witch of Funtinel) (2015), A Noszty fiú esete Tóth Marival (The Case of the Noszty Boy with Mari Tóth) (2015), A gyertyák csonkig égnek (The Candles are Burning Down) (2018) and Kék róka (Blue Fox) (2019). Although he is comfortable in the world of musicals and is close to the musical genre, he considers it his profession to constantly search for the soul: with the thoroughness of a psychologist, he explores the thinking and the reasons behind the behaviour of each character. His name and roles are becoming increasingly intertwined with psychological drama.
Sándor Márai's masterpiece of stylistic art, A gyertyák csonkig égnek (The Candles are Burning Down) is a masterpiece of sophisticated artistic discourse. In the drama, directed by Imre Csiszár, he made great use of the lessons of Imre Montágh (teacher of speech technique). He comments to journalist Eszter Vámos on Márai's language:
“With Márai, there is no question of repeating words, even though we are going over and over the same theme. Stylistically, he performs a real feat. It's wonderful to see how many different ways he phrases the same thing. It's a joy to play, but it was a hell to learn. I have so many signs on my copy I can't even tell you.” [16]
The critics praised the theatrical expression of the emotional agony of two friends condensed into a single night:
“In this confined space, every movement is clearly visible, and no detail is hidden from audience members that might not be noticed from the rows of seats in front of the main stage. These extra fingers complement the overall impression: Ádám Lux, playing Henrik, is good as the aristocratically reserved, self-mocking soldier, while Károly Nemcsák's portrayal of Konrád emphasises his aloofness and lack of sensitivity.” [17]
In 2023, the company surrenders to the call of Tamás Olt, the managing director, and again votes for the company's existence and joins the Karinthy Színház (Karinthy Theatre). He has spent 28 of his nearly 40 years on the stage without a company, but he admits he misses a team. In 2024, he proves himself as Rey in Paul Unwin's black comedy Kísértetház (The Haunted House) and as George in the Ray Cooney comedy Miért nem marad reggelire? (Why Don't You Stay for Breakfast?) directed by József Kiss. The role won him the Audience Award at the Karinthy Theatre and was voted Best Male Actor for the 2023/2024 season.
Kisváros (Small Town) (telenovella, 1993-2001), in which Miklós Zolnay investigated various crimes as a lieutenant and later as a captain, brought him national fame at the beginning of his career, but he also appeared in the most popular telenovella of the 1980s and 1990s, Szomszédok (Neighbours). Among his film work, Zsolt Pozsgai's film Megszállottak (The Obsessed) (2018), based on the imaginary encounter and faith debate between János Kálvin and Ignác Loyolai, has won more than 80 international film festival awards up to the end of 2022. For his performance in the film commemorating the Reformation, the founder of the Jesuit order, he was awarded the Best Actor prize at the Las Vegas and Florida International Film Festivals. He also has a film career in the film Szeretlek, Faust (I Love You, Faust), for which he won the Best Actor in a Leading Role in New Jersey, Bucharest and Vancouver in 2023. The Hungarian film Golgota (Golgotha), also by Zsolt Pozsgai, is also worth mentioning, and has been awarded more than two hundred and fifty times since its release in 2021.
In the conclusion of his academic address, he talks about the importance of the actor's impact on the world and on people: “The most important building blocks of our lives: our parents, our teachers, our masters. But we must also become the building blocks of the wonderful art that is art, enrich each other with the wonderful tool of the art, our talent from above, and, most importantly, ourselves. Those who choose this profession assume prophethood, the prophethood of culture, of the soul, of language, of being Hungarian. Hungarian literature, poetry and drama are an inexhaustible treasure chest, which a Hungarian actor has the constant task of discovering and exploring.”
[1] https://archiv.szfe.hu/osztaly/szinesz-regi-1983-1987-2/null
[2] Ildikó Csizner: Godspell - Ódry Színpad, Új Tükör, 15 February 1987, No. 2
[3] Gábor Turi: Godspell, Film Színház Muzsika, 16 January 1988, No. 3
[4] Ildikó Csizner Ildikó: Másodszor szól az ige (The Word Spoken a Second Time) - Godspell in Debrecen, Színház, 1 April 1988, No.4
[5] Ildikó Csizner: Felelnek a klasszikusok (The Classics Respond), Színház, August 1989
[6] János Csontos: Strindberg: Haláltánc (Death Dance), Hajdú - Bihari Napló, 6 February 1988.
[7] T.v.: Másodszor a Godspellben (Second time in Godspell), Pesti Műsor, 27 January 1988, No. 4
[8] Ágnes Szilágyi: Madárka magányossága – Relatív ki a bolond, ki az épelméjű (The Loneliness of Birdy - Relative Who is the Fool, Who is the Sane), Pesti Műsor, 21 February 1992, No. 8
[9] Lajos Tiszai: Új tagok a Szigligeti Színház Társulatában – A Báró és a Miskin herceg után (New Members in the Company of the Szigligeti Theatre - After the Baron and Prince Mishkin), Jászkun Krónika, 9 September 1993, No 135
[10] Dr. Ágnes Petővári: Zsolt Pozsgai: Szeretlek, Faust - Mindszenthy József születésének évfordulójára (I love you, Faust - for the birthday anniversary of József Mindszenty), Magyar Fórum (www.fuggetlenseg.hu), 21 April 2011.
[11] Tamás Sipka: Helyére került a Rettenthetelen? (Has the Fearless found its Place?), Kapu, November - December 2012, Vol. 25, No. 11-12
[12] Tamás Sipka: Helyére került a Rettenthetelen? (Has the Fearless found its Place?), Kapu, November - December 2012, Vol. 25, No. 11-12
[13] Katalin Metz: Melyik énünk uralja a másokat? - A gólyakalifa - Babits regényének színpadi változata a Thália Stúdióban (Which self dominates the others? - The Stork Caliph - A stage version of Babits' novel at the Thália Studio), Magyar Nemzet, 5 March 2001.
[14] Éva Fejős: A gólykalifa (The Stork Caliph), Nők Lapja
[15] Dr. Ágnes Petővári: Dosztojevszkij: Feljegyzések az egérlyukból (Dostoevsky: Notes from the Mouse hole), Havi Magyar Fórum, 1 June 2009, No. 6
[16] https://femina.hu/hazai_sztar/lux-adam-a-gyertyak-csonkig-egnek/
[17] https://demokrata.hu/kultura/a-gyertyak-csonkig-egnek-794992/
[2024]