Slovak National Theatre commissions its first 2017 premiere from abroad

Slovak National Theatre has entered 2017 with a première by its drama company. On January 7 and 8, it staged Mercedes Benz - an original play written by Hungarian playwright Péter Esterházy. It is the first time that the National Theatre's drama company has commissioned a play from a foreign author. At a press conference held ahead of the première, the play's director Roman Polák explained that they were looking for a story that would be interesting for Slovak audiences despite being told by a foreign playwright. "It's a different take on our history," he explained. The play deals with the history of a noble family that has become a legend in both Hungarian and Slovak history - the House of Esterházy.