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You Didn’t See Anything! - Alex FIFEAYou Didn’t See Anything!
Creators
Background
Director David Schwartz and actor Alex Fifea read about the death case in a newspaper article which sparked their interest. It was clear that it did not happen as it was written in the first police statement: Dani’s death was not an accident. Thus, the local NGOs began to investigate the crime. The members of the artistic troupe followed Dani’s case for a whole year, they sat throughout the negotiations, they read every testimony. They also got acquainted with the illegal parkers lifestyle and made interviews with the victim’s family and acquaintances.
The play was written based on these notes and sound recordings.
Police wanted to cover up the case: about 30 police officers confessed to “seeing nothing”, to knowing nothing about what had happened. According to their narrative Dani died because he was ill. But police brutality has a long history in this area.
Focus scene
Reviews
‘Being a chameleon has two conflicting meanings: on the one hand, by changing colour, it indicates a complete blending, the loss of Roma identity. However, the protagonist tries to interpret her own chameleon image differently when it becomes a metaphor for empathy for her: she develops the ability of compassion and empathy into a superpower.’
Revizoronline'In Tamás András Szegedi's directing, Emília Lovas plays the Gypsy girl in a sovereignly convincing, yet ethereally charming manner throughout the play and embraces youth as superpower as if everything was happening in a fairy tale.'
szinhaz.net‘This could be the survival story of an average adolescent, but problems that seriously affect the social status of the Roma are discussed, such as early school leaving and child-bearing. The performance almost turns into a tale from the story so far depicted so nicely and wittily.’ And we wish it to happen so. May the power of tales and personal hero stories prevail over systems.’
Magyar Narancsmaterials to download
excerpts from the playphoto credits
All rights reserved
1: ©Alina Vincze_Alex Fifea
2: ©Alina Vincze_Alex Fifea
3: ©Alina Vincze_Alex Fifea