In Hungarian Acacia by Kristóf Kelemen and Bence György Pálinkás from Hungary, a species of tree becomes a bone of political contention. The play sets out to reclaim the symbolism of the black locust tree, replacing the patriotic connotations it has acquired as a result of government rhetoric with a more progressive viewpoint. Also from Hungary, János Térey's Lot—the grass is fatter in Sodom, directed by Balázs Kovalik, uses the biblical tale to foreground the reception given to strangers once again, and to link this acceptance of lack of it to Hungary's contemporary moral and political situation.
Three productions from France pursue very different lines of enquiry. David Geselson takes the French philosopher André Gorz’s relationship with his wife as his starting point in Doreen, presenting us with a powerful bond which kept the couple united through the turbulence of the 20th century. Then, in Crash Park: The Life of an Island, directed by Philippe Quesne, a group of people try to stay alive after a plane crash on a desert island where anything is possible . Finally, also from France but featuring Brazilian dancers, Boxe Boxe Brasil is a spectacle which combines boxing with dance and the music of the Debussy Quartet with hip hop moves.
Dead Centre's Beckett's Room, an Irish-UK co-production, gives us a performance minus the human element. Everything takes place normally on stage, but while we hear the characters’ voices and the space is affected by their movements, their bodies are absent from the stage.