Director of Hungarian Theatre Tenders Resignation Following Romeo and Juliet Mishap

The director of Hungary's National Theatre, Attila Vidnyánszky, offered to resign following an accident during a performance of Romeo and Juliet in which two actors were injured. During the incident, Júlia Szász, who played Juliet, and Otto Lajos Horváth, who portrayed her father Capulet, fell from an elevated platform behind the scenery. Both actors are currently in the hospital in serious but stable condition after undergoing surgery. Hungary's culture minister, János Csák, rejected Vidnyánszky's resignation and stated that he would await the outcome of an investigation before taking any further action. Vidnyánszky has held the position of director for the past 10 years and is a close ally of Prime Minister Viktor Orban. His appointment was initially set to conclude in 2023 but was extended until 2028 earlier this year. Csák and Vidnyánszky visited the hospital to meet with the injured actors and the medical staff. Csák stated in an Instagram post that the actors' conditions were improving and wished them a speedy recovery. Szász was also scheduled to appear in other National Theatre performances later this month, and both she and Horváth have been involved in notable Hungarian film productions. Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare in 1594, tells the story of two young Italian lovers from feuding families who secretly marry after sharing an intimate moment on a balcony.