Nowdays Ábel works mainly as an improvisational theatre instructor teaching improv. His ideology is that the essence of life is connection. Connection between each other, to ourselves, to nature and all.

He is also the founder of Flow Theatre.

1. Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Budapest. District 10 did not have the best reputation those days, however, I think I was living in a better part of it. Despite that we did have a few incidents. Near our house my bike was stolen while I was riding it. Our car was broken into several times in from of our house and once it was stolen and thieves committed a bank robbery with it. In the end it was found unattended after the robbery and we got it back from the police.

2. If you could be an expat anywhere in the world, where would you choose?

I have been an expat a lot of places around the world. My favourites were probably Finland and Scotland. I like to get to know different cultures and societies. However, at some point as a European gotten used to the European norms I felt that anywhere else things were quite strange for me. Often interesting but often felt weird. At some point I realised that short term I like to live at most of the places but long term I would like to live in Europe. This is a “normal” place to me. There are strange things here too but those I am already more used to. At some point I started to feel that I wanna live somewhere where I am comfortable with the local language. This narrows the choice down to English and Hungarian speaking places. So I came back to Hungary and I am very happy with that choice. I think it is a great place to live.

3. What would you miss most if you moved away from Hungary?

Friends, family and Flow Theatre community, of course.

4. Friends are in Budapest for a weekend - what must they absolutely see and do?

I love to chill around the river Danube or take a walk next to it. The view of the city and the water is stunning and relaxing at a lot of spots in Budapest. I like to sit out on a bench with a bottle of vine in good company and banter while staring at the river. I would also recommend to check out the water fountain at Margaret-Island near Margit Bridge. Every hour they do music choreographed water show, in the night it is also illuminated with colourful lights. After the show you can make your way to the river and sit to chill as I suggested earlier. I took my niece and nephew there in the summer and they found it enchanting.

5. What is your favourite food?

One of my favourite is Szeged style fisherman’s soup, a Hungarian speciality that often served at Christmas. I love koviubi which is the fermented cucumber that in summer we make in jars. Homemade ones are usually the best but sometimes you can buy good ones at the markets too.

6. What is your favourite sport / form of exercise?

I love skiing. It is a good training and at the same time travelling in the ski elevator is so relaxing when you are hanging above the forest. It is like a meditation. I am addicted to the feeling of sliding downhill, it feels like flying.

7. What is your favourite place in Hungary?

Badacsony mountain around lake Balaton is a beautiful vine region, superb for hanging out for a few days. I also like Szeged as a city, very vibrant yet not too big. However, I think the best is Budapest. Lots of things going on culturally, sports, science, nightlife. The city is stunning with its thousand faces. Definitely a place to live.

8. What career other than yours would you love to pursue?

I used to work as a research mathematician and I really enjoyed that career too. I got to work at famous research institutions and universities around the world conducting math research projects. Interesting that I did not like teaching math so i preferred the research only positions. Contrary I love teaching improv theatre acting. I think the main difference is that in acting you teach people who would like to do and learn that. If you are teaching math at a university then most of the cases the students are there because they need to learn math, not because they want to learn math. I think that makes a whole lot of difference if you teach people who are eager to learn.

9. What’s a job you would definitely never want?

I would not want to work as solider. Following stupid orders without questioning them, killing people on command regardless if they are innocent. Sounds like terror to me and I hope I will never have to experience it.

10. Where did you spend your last vacation?

Two expat lovebirds who often come to my improv workshops got married recently in Italy. I went to their weddings and spent a week near Pisa. It was Dolce Vita at its best. Claudia, Octavio, thanks for the memories, it was an awesome week.

11. Where do you hope to spend your next one?

I am going to a 4-week long improv theatre program in Lagos, Portugal. I am really excited about it to have a chance to work with world-leading improv trainers and fellow improvisers from the globe. Besides I would like to do a bit of surfing there. The plan is to wake up at dawn every day, go surfing, then go to the improv trainings during the day.

12. What was your favourite band, film, or hobby as a teen?

Rollerblading. Jumping in half-pipes, sliding on rails. It was my teenage love.

13. Apart of temptation what can't you resist?

A good board game or card game after midnight. I am ready not to sleep if someone is willing to play a good game instead.

14. Red wine or white?

White. I am fond of fröccs which is the Hungarian name for wine-spritz, that is wine and soda water. The proportion is up to your taste and mood, but I prefer the light ones that really is just a breeze on a hot summer day.

15. Book or movie?

I like both but usually it is easier to find time for a movie than for a book these days. My mind is always on the go and I often lack sleep. So when I finally take the time to read or watch a movie and my mind starts to relax and most of the time I fall asleep in 20 min. Unless I do it with the purpose of wanting to fall asleep.

16. Morning person or night person?

I used to be a night-owl, could be focusing and working best in the night when there is no distraction. However, as I am getting older I can sleep less and less even if I have the time for it. So these days I am both morning and night person with very few sleep.

17. Which social issue do you feel most strongly about?

I have volunteered a few times as a drama instructor to hold drama games for unprivileged children and people with disabilities. I felt a call to offer something from my knowledge for a good cause. It felt very rewarding to see that it meant a lot to them.

18. Buda or Pest side?

I was born on Buda, grew up on Pest and now I live on Buda. I like both but it really depends on what you are looking for. Pest is more vibrant, Buda is more laidback.

19. Which achievement in your life are you most pleased about?

It is hard to say. Many achievements in different fields are important to me. The most notable ones are maybe Flow Theatre, the improvisational theatre company that I built up and one of my math research project. My deepest math results are not yet fully published and as I work full time in theatre now math is currently only a hobby that I do not have enough time for. But I hope I will be able to steal some time to do it sooner than later.

20. What would you say is your personal motto?

The essence of human life is the connections between people. Whether someone is introverted or extroverted, human connection is needed from the moment of conception. We follow this principle in our teachings and in our play at Flow Theatre. We believe that every scene should be about the relationship between the characters. This is what makes it interesting for both the audience and the performers, and what they can relate to.