FIUK - THE HIDDEN MEN

Beyond being a beautiful work about the masculine body (why is it almost never shown the way the female body is?) and the use of space and falls as tools of a choreographic expression, the piece is an immersion in the unconsciousness of boys and men.

The Hidden Men holds up a special mirror in front of us, in which we can see the „Macho”, the „Narcissus” and also the „Hercules”, and through these we can closely examine the archetypes of man. Frenák alternately calls up male chauvinist violence, stupid pretentiousness and the balance of power that structures our interactions with others.

Frenák offers us a radical vision; he probes male sexuality through its different aspects: its origins, as well as its unconscious sources. Its sensuality is without compromise, its rudeness is poetic. The symbols used prompt us to make our own associations, as the scenery and the source of the movement language are served by a rope-system on stage and its inspiring verticality.

“The trio of ropes hanging down into the playing area opens up a vertical dimension: they free us from our earth-bound existence and show the way to an unattainable reality. The men are doing their best to get to the top; they drag themselves upwards, they lounge and soar once they think they are high enough; it is all about the timeless human dream.” (Márta Péter, dance theorist, critic)

The Hidden Men was awarded to the Rudolf Laban award dedicated to the best contemporary dance pieces in Hungary and toured all over the world.

The trio of ropes hanging down into the playing area opens up a vertical dimension: they free us from our earth-bound existence and show the way to an unattainable reality. The men are doing their best to get to the top; they drag themselves upwards, they lounge and soar once they think they are high enough; it is all about the timeless human dream.

Marta Peter

Ellenfeny

Feminine and masculine at the same time, its courage is to be envied, but also childishly shy, and radiates enormous energy, however, extremely vulnerable as well. Gorgeous bodies and chiselled scenes. The Hidden Men is not outdated, it’s youthful, fresh, energetic, and relevant. And it’s a huge success.

Orsolya Kelemen

Ellenfeny

I can’t help being amazed and surprised by the choreographies of Pál Frenák, who has been building his work consistently on eroticism and the use of body, and has

been exploring how the body can become an icon immediately. The social background is always just a concept, there is no propaganda, just pure dance, the aggressive, explosive, colliding, daring kind.

Szilvia Artner 'Sisso'

Magyar Narancs