Adina Levay

Adina Levay is a Lecturer for BA (Hons) Acting at Norwich University of the Arts. Adina is a theatre director with over twenty years of international experience. Originally from Romania, Adina trained as an actor for three years at the Hangar School of Performing Arts in Budapest, Hungary, and studied theatre directing at the Royal Central of Speech and Drama in London, where she graduated with an MA in Advanced Theatre Practice. She also holds an MA in Creative Entrepreneurship from the University of East Anglia.

I started my directing career in Budapest in 2000, and through regular work I established myself as one of the few women directors creating significant work that enriched the scene of contemporary Hungarian theatre.

Between 2005 and 2010 I was Associate Director at two major repertory theatres — the New Theatre and Miskolc National Theatre — in Hungary, and in 2008 I became the Artistic Director of Jokai Theatre in Slovakia.

After moving to the UK, I set up Concentric Circles in 2012, a Norwich based theatre company exploring contemporary European dramaturgies and performance practices. My main body of work deals with themes of identity and belonging, mechanisms of power, human frailty, and vulnerability. Through my practice I investigate the transformative potential of theatre making through its aesthetic, ethic, and political dimensions.

Practice

Directing credits

• 2021 ILLUSION by Ivan Viripaev, Thalia Theatre (Slovakia)
• 2020 LOVE MONOLOGUES co-created with people who identify themselves as women | Concentric Circles in partnership with Proscenium Company from Slovakia, Digital performance streamed online
• 2019 THE DEAD SOUL by János Háj | National premiere, Yorrick Theatre (Slovakia)
• 2018 NO(r)WAY. TODAY by Igor Bauersima | Concentric Circles in collaboration with The Garage (UK)
• 2017 UNDER SURVEILLANCE – CITY OF SPECTRES by anonymous North Korean writer, Bandi | Concentric Circles in collaboration with the National Centre for Writing and Norwich & Norfolk Festival (UK)
• 2016 THAT BRAZEN ELECTRIC STRAP OF A WAN by Sue Healy | National premiere, The King’s Head (UK)
• 2015 LITTLE EDEN by Belona Greenwood | National premiere, Concentric Circles in collaboration with Norwich International Youth Project, (UK)
• 2014 THE NEW ELECTRIC BALLROOM by Enda Walsh | Maddermarket Theatre (UK)
• 2013 WE LOST ELIJAH by Ryan Craig Concentric | Circle in collaboration with The Garage as part of the National Theatre Connections Festival (UK)
• 2013 Contemporary European Drama Festival | Concentric Circle in collaboration with the University of East Anglia (UK)
• 2012 PSYCHOSIS 4:48 by Sarah Kane Concentric Circles in collaboration with mental health charities, Mind and Time-To-Change (UK)
• 2010 MARY STUART by Dacia Maraini | National premiere, New Theatre (Hungary)
• 2010 THE LOVERS FROM ANCONA by Katalin Vajda | Jokai Theatre (Slovakia)
• 2009 THE LOWER DEPTH by Maxim Gorki | Miskolc National Theatre (Hungary)
• 2009 MANDRAKE by Niccolo Machiavelli, Jokai Theatre (Slovakia)
• 2008 MY MOTHER SAID I NEVER SHOULD by Charlotte Keatley | National premiere, Jokai Theatre (Slovakia)
• 2008 GLOOMY SUNDAY by Peter Müller | Jokai Theatre (Slovakia)
• 2008 THE LABOUR OF LIFE by Levin Hanoch | Miskolc National Theatre (Hungary)
• 2007 BLIND DATE by Mario Diament | National Premiere, Miskolc National Theatre (Hungary)
• 2006 PLAYHOUSE CREATURES by April de Angelis | National premiere, New Theatre (Hungary)
• 2005 DREAM OF AUTUMN by Jon Fosse | National premiere, Jokai Theatre (Slovakia)
• 2004 PSYCHOSIS 4:48 by Sarah Kane | National premiere, Merlin Theatre (Hungary)
• 2002 PROCRUSTES’ BED by Rita Sebestyén | National premiere, Sun Theatre (Hungary)
• SHOPPING AND F***ING by Mark Ravenhill | National premiere, Sun Theatre (Hungary)

Other academic activities

• Member of the Norwich Theatre Creatives Advisory Group since 2021
• Member of IETM – International network for contemporary performing Arts since 2017