Actress Csilla Csomor Receives 800,000 HUF from Insurance, Left with Nothing
Years ago, actress Csilla Csomor experienced a situation similar to two actors at the National Theatre who suffered a terrible accident: she was unable to work, yet received no compensation from the theatre.
While playing the role of Titania in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at the then Várszínház, Csomor participated in an acrobatic scene. Before her major monologue, she was to jump from a height of four meters, perform a somersault, and upon landing, continue her monologue. Overcoming her fears, Csomor tackled the challenge successfully for quite some time until the fateful day arrived.
HER KNEE LIGAMENT TORN
The scene, worthy of a circus performance, led the director and theatre management to recruit a trained acrobat from the circus to coach Csomor in executing the jump and somersault. “We rehearsed the scene numerous times, and I had performed it in many shows. Before each, I always checked the mattress I was to land on to ensure it was in good condition. On the day of the incident, I found the mattress excessively hard, which I immediately reported to the stagehand. ‘Sanyi, the mattress is too hard,’ I said, to which he replied, ‘Little star, it’s only six o'clock, and the show starts at seven. The mattress is overinflated because it's leaking, but it will deflate slightly by seven, and then it’ll be just right.’ Well, it did not deflate by seven, and landing on the overly hard mattress was like jumping onto concrete. I collapsed, my knee ligament torn, suffering excruciating pain, and was rushed to the hospital by an ambulance with sirens blaring.”
UNABLE TO WORK FOR A YEAR
Csomor had to undergo surgery followed by a year of rehabilitation, during which she could not work. “My colleagues took over my theatre roles, and I obviously couldn’t rehearse for any new plays. At the time, I was also appearing in the ‘Barátok közt’ series, and I couldn’t film for weeks, if not months. Later, when I could walk with assistance and a limp, I returned to work. My fellow actors and the production team had to prop me up against a wall or sit me down to continue filming. I am grateful to them for their selfless help, empathy, and support during that period.”
SUCH ACCIDENTS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN
Csomor's full recovery took a year, during which she suffered significant financial loss, yet the theatre refused to acknowledge its responsibility. “Csilla Csomor didn’t jump around out of her own free will or for amusement; it was her job, written into her role. I, of course, sued the theatre, but they did not compensate me a penny; instead, the theatre’s insurance covered my expenses based on the bills. The theatre has insurance, but not for actors. My accident happened twenty-four years ago, and the insurance paid 800,000 HUF. Rehabilitation, taxis, medical treatments that money was quickly depleted. But returning to the recent accidents at the National Theatre involving actors Szász Juli and Horváth Lajos Ottó, the theatre's director, Vidnyánszky Attila, stated that theatre is a hazardous operation. This isn’t something he invented; it's an age-old wisdom known to all actors. However, if an actor signals something is amiss, especially considering the inherent dangers, there should be even greater attention to detail. Simply put, accidents like what happened to me, several of my colleagues, and now to Szász Juli and Horváth Lajos Ottó, should never happen again.”
Translation:
Translated by AI
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