Keszthely’s Balaton Theatre presents five intimate, thought‑provoking evenings this winter, blending literature, psychology, AI, live music, and true crime. From whispered memories to big social questions, the stage turns into a salon for curiosity and connection—often with the audience in the spotlight.
January 26 – Close: What Connects Us
Time: 2026.01.26. 6:30 p.m.
Venue: Balaton Theatre, Main Hall
Writer Sarolta Dobray invites you to an evening of closeness to mark her new short‑story collection, Close (Közel). Think motherhood, loss, flashes of childhood, small gestures that carry whole worlds—moments we usually rush past. The night leans into what binds us rather than what divides us. Psychiatrist György Bánki joins not only to reflect but to compose and perform his own music live, layering the stories with psychological insights that open quieter rooms in the mind. Come for a rare, tender evening where the story doesn’t end at the final line—it keeps living in you. Close (Közel) will be on sale on site during the event.
February 6 – Boundless Frames: Is Endless Freedom a Dead End?
Time: 2026.02.06. 6:30 p.m.
Venue: Balaton Theatre, Main Hall
Meet András Moldován in person. His interactive sessions are less lecture, more live encounter, where the crowd often becomes part of the act. Spinning out from his second book, Boundless Frames (Határtalan keretek), he makes the case that both individuals and societies need frames—without them, the dream of total freedom drifts into a dark cul‑de‑sac. Expect a thought‑provoking, surprisingly entertaining ride with the star investor from the show Shark Tank (Cápák között).
February 11 – Science Stand‑Up: Symbiosis with AI
Time: 2026.02.11. 7:00 p.m.
Venue: Balaton Theatre
Where is AI research headed in the 21st century? Should we fear a swarm of machine minds? Mathematician, psychologist, and public thinker László Mérő—formerly an AI researcher—walks through the many angles of artificial intelligence (not just the technical ones). How do our own smart machines and programs shape daily life and the future barreling toward us? Are Hollywood’s takeover and singularity nightmares justified? Mérő maps the imagined future we already live in and explores the psychological and even physiological effects an artificial mind might exert on individuals.
February 28 – Human Beasts: Inside Serial Killers’ Minds
Time: 2026.02.28. 7:00 p.m.
Venue: Balaton Theatre, Main Hall
Tickets: 5,500 HUF (about 15 USD)
Former top homicide detective Péter Doszpot and consulting psychologist Gábor Antal open the door to the darkest corners. Who are serial killers? What fuels their brutal, bizarre acts? Can a psychopath be treated? What investigative instincts catch them—and where do killers slip up? With film clips and real cases, they trace how policing and psychology intertwine across infamous Hungarian and international investigations from the 20th century to now. Do childhood traumas make a murderer? What does science say—and fieldwork? Two experts, two vantage points, one unsettling, singular evening.
March 10 – Tweens and Teens Today: How to Connect
Time: 2026.03.10. 6:00 p.m.
Venue: Balaton Theatre, Main Hall
Tickets: 4,200 HUF (about 11 USD)
Psychologist, trainer, and university lecturer Dr. Annamária Kádár tackles the big questions around today’s tweens and teens: Who are they now, and how do we connect well with them? Presented in Keszthely by the Open Academy (Nyitott Akadémia).
