The Paul Street Boys
The Paul Street Boys musical is based on a Hungarian youth novel by Ferenc Molnar, first published in 1906.
Plot outline
The story takes place in 1889 in the Jozsefvaros district of Budapest and centers around a group of schoolboys known as the Paul Street Boys. They spend their free time in an empty space they call the “grund,” which they view as their own “Fatherland.”
The narrative features two central characters: Janos Boka, the respected leader of the Paul Street Boys, and Erno Nemecsek, the smallest and youngest member of the group. When a rival gang of boys called the “Redshirts,” led by Feri Ats, attempts to seize the grund, the Paul Street Boys feel compelled to defend their turf with military-like tactics.
Despite the Paul Street Boys emerging victorious from the conflict and Nemecsek demonstrating that his courage and loyalty surpass his diminutive stature, the story ends in tragedy. Nemecsek falls victim to pneumonia, which he acquired during the fight. In the closing moments of the tale, Boka learns that a multi-story building is to be erected on the grund lot, making the boys’ courageous efforts and Nemecsek’s sacrifice ultimately in vain.
HOWEVER, the musical goes further: The Finale inspires the audience to realise that not everything is over; in togetherness, a new life can be created.
Literary significance of the novel
The Paul Street Boys sculpture in Budapest depicts the einstand, a bullying scene from the novel. This book is very popular in Hungary and is considered a classic. It is also one of the most renowned Hungarian novels outside the country. The novel has been translated into many languages and is recommended or required reading in schools in several countries. The first English translation was made by Louis Rittenberg and published in 1927, and later revised by George Szirtes Flying a re-release in 1994.
Erich Kästner explored a similar theme in his work The Flying Classroom, published just before the Nazi Party gained power in Germany. In Kästner’s version, the dynamic between two groups of boys at war is examined, but he is less harsh with the character resembling Nemecsek, who suffers only a broken leg.
In Croatia and Serbia, the book is part of the curriculum for book reports and is very popular among elementary school students. A 2016 scholarly poll of 6th and 7th graders in Split found that it was as popular as the Harry Potter series and Diary of a Wimpy Kid. There have been multiple translations of the book, and the differences among them have attracted scholarly attention.
In Poland, where the book has been published over 20 times, it is part of the compulsory reading curriculum for primary school students, covering grades IV to VIII, which includes pupils aged 9 to 15.
In Israel, the book is regarded as a classic youth novel. A Hebrew version titled Mahanaim (Camps, also referencing a popular ball game) was published in 1940 and enjoyed significant popularity with multiple reprints. A newer translation, “The Boys from Paul Street,” was published in 1984. A stage adaptation of the book by the Kibbutz Theater began performances in 2016.
In Azerbaijan, the book gained popularity after Ramil Safarov translated it into Azerbaijani while serving his sentence in Budapest.
In Mongolia, the book was published in April 2020, and the translation team was awarded the Hungarian Order of Merit by the decree of the President of Hungary on September 21, 2021.
Film, Television and Theatre adaptations
- Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
- Adaptations of “A Pál utcai fiúk” (The Paul Street Boys)
- A Pal utcai fiuk – Silent film (Hungary, 1917), directed by Béla Balogh. This is the first version of the story by Hungarian director Béla Balogh.
- A Pal utcai fiuk – Silent film (Hungary, 1924), directed by Béla Balogh. This is the second version of the story, featuring actors György Faragó (Nemecsek), Ernő Verebes (Boka), Ferenc Szécsi (Geréb), István Barabás (Feri Áts), and Frigyes Pártos (Csónakos).
- No Greater Glory – Film (USA, 1934), directed by Frank Borzage and released by Columbia Pictures. The cast includes George P. Breakston (Nemecsek), Jimmy Butler (Boka), Jackie Searl (Geréb), Frankie Darro (Feri Áts), and Donald Haines (Csónakos).
- The Paul Street Boys – Film (Italy, 1935), directed by Alberto Mondadori and Mario Monicelli. This adaptation stars Giulio Tamagnini (Nemecsek), Alberto Vigevani (Boka), Giulio Macchi (Geréb), Bruno Aghion (Feri Áts), and Carlo Cartigliani (Csónakos).
- The Boys of Paul Street – Film (Hungary-USA, 1969), directed by Zoltán Fábri. The cast includes Anthony Kemp (Nemecsek), William Burleigh (Boka), John Moulder-Brown (Geréb), Julien Holdaway (Feri Áts), and Robert Efford (Csónakos). This film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
- I ragazzi della via Pal – TV film (Italy-Austria-Germany-Hungary, 2003), directed by Maurizio Zaccaro. The film features Gáspár Mesés (Nemecsek), Gáspár Csaba (Boka), Gergely Mészáros (Geréb), Daniel Lugosi (Feri Áts), and Péter Ványi (Csónakos).
- A Pál-utcai fiúk – TV film (Hungary, 2005), directed by Ferenc Török. This adaptation stars Balázs Bojtár (Nemecsek), Krisztián Fekete (Boka), Milán Király (Geréb), Csaba Csuhai Csinos (Feri Áts), and Róbert Rostási (Csónakos).
- Source: Wikipedia
Listen to the overture
DES - GESZTI - GRECSO
Put it on Stage
Releases
The Notes of the Musical
