Szabó Virág: Production titled “Pali and Lea” by the Tompa Miklós Company of the National Theatre of Târgu Mureș

The sweetness of first love, which opens up new worlds before us, remains an unforgettable experience and an eternal memory for everyone. Whom do we choose to share it with, to live it with, to discover the dimensions of love together?

The “bad boy” chooses the “good girl,” the “good girl” chooses the “bad boy” — and of course, it’s no surprise that the mother gets upset and forbids it. But who has ever wanted anything more than the forbidden fruit? It is not only romance that requires creativity, but also the organization of secret meetings. And it doesn’t hurt to have a reliable friend who helps along the way. When you are in love, there is no risk great enough, no perceived impossibility — only burning desire drives you, and the adrenaline and dopamine it produces. If this is the most beautiful feeling in the world, then why doesn’t mother understand it? I don’t understand why she is always so worried… she was young once too… They cannot protect us forever; they must allow us to experience things ourselves, to fly on our own and fall on our own. As a child, it is enough to know that I can rely on her, but she should not decide in my place.

Communication often breaks down in parent–child relationships, and we are unable to properly decode the intentions behind actions. It does not matter which side you are on — neither is easy. When and how detailed should a parent’s sexual education of their child be? How does a mother handle such a situation? A mother of a son and a mother of a daughter — which one has it harder? Where are the boundaries that a parent should not cross, and when should they intervene?

The classroom production Pali and Lea by the Tompa Miklós Company of the National Theatre of Târgu Mureș is not based solely on the topic of sexual education, but also focuses on relationships: parent–child relations, romantic relationships, and friendships. It does not offer definitive answers; instead, what young people think about all this is what truly matters. The development of the story and the exploration of the questions raised are left to the class — they are given responsibility, as well as an important lesson they can carry with them. What do you think is right? What would you do? What would be the right decision in this situation? If it happened to you, how would you react?

Szabó Virág is a first-year Theatre Studies student at Babeș–Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca.