ANYWIFE

It is the 1980s in Miskolc, an industrial city in eastern Hungary. A young couple is expecting their first child, seemingly filled with hope for a bright future. Éva is a beautician, István is an engineer currently completing his military service. The gynaecologist following Éva’s pregnancy, Dr. Kádár, is one of the most renowned doctors in the city. On the day when labour begins, Dr. Kádár is in a hurry – as he is having an important tennis game with his superior. To speed things up, he administers an irresponsible dose of drugs to induce Éva’s labour. When little Zsuzsi is born, the doctors quickly realise that the forced acceleration of labour has caused a cerebral hemorrhage, leading to severe and permanent damage. No one dares to tell Éva the truth…A tragic story of a young mother living in an abusive marriage with a disabled daughter, told with a good dose of humour that captivates and moves, leaving behind both anger and hope.Éva Péterfy-Novák began writing her story in blog format in 2013 as a therapeutic experiment to overcome her traumas. It was an enormous success, and in 2014 the book was published by Libri, one of Hungary’s leading publishing houses. In 2015, it was adapted to stage, played by Réka Tenki, who won the 2015/16 Theater Critics Award for Best Actress for this role.Ten years after its first publication, the book has reached its seventeenth edition in Hungary, while the play continues to be performed to sold-out audiences.