The paper analyses an exam performance of the Szentgyörgyi István Theatre Institute (currently: University of Arts), presented at the Studio Theatre in 1977. Based on I. L. Caragiale’s Vengeance (original title: Năpasta, also translated as The Blight), the performance was staged on the occasion of the anniversary of the 125^th anniversary of the birth of the greatest Romanian playwright of the 19th century. A controversial psychological drama, different from the author’s other texts, both in genre and in theme, is used to offer the best possibilities for the development of the students. The staging occurred during the period of communist nationalism, at the time of Nicolae Ceașescu’s dictatorship, when the oppression of ethnic minorities had just started. The paper argues that even under the harsh conditions of the era, the director, Géza Gergely, managed to show the value of the play while challenging the acting students to demonstrate their best professional skills. Therefore, the Romanian critics appreciated and praised the performance, which won second place in its category at the Cântarea României Festival (Singing of Romania Festival). Whether this could contribute to better communication and collaboration between Romanian and Hungarian cultures is still controversial.