SAD 3/2022

Jakub Molnár
THREE PERSONAL STOPOVERS REGARDING VIEWERS’ „EMANCIPATIONS“
paradoxes of performances with elements of immersive theatre
Sensuous Governing, Sisters Hope, 2018; Sytze Schalk, Jana Wernerová, Peter Kočiš: We, People!, Divadlo Na Peróne, 2021; Virtual Ritual, concept Jan Mocek, Sixhouses, 2019

IT’S NOT AN OSSIFIED FORM, IT COMPELS US TO A CONSTANT SELF-EXAMINATION
with Lukáš Brychta on meaning of immersive theatre

Eliška Raiterová
CITY, WALK WITH ME
some notes on three Prague audiowalks
Bedřich: First Time in Prague, script and directed by Jindřiška Dudziaková and Vojtěch Bartoš, Pomezí, 2021; Dreamy Walking, directed by Michał Salwiński, 2022; Above the City, directed by Kateřina Součková, Pomezí, 2019

Marika Smreková
PARTICIPATIVE THEATRE AS A TOOL OF SOCIAL INCLUSION
other perspectives

Vladimír Mikulka
WITHOUT SIMPLE ANSWERS
showcase Jana Mocka
Shadow Meadow, concept and directed by Jan Mocek, Sixhouses, 2017; Virtual Ritual, concept and directed by J.Mocek, Sixhouses, 2019; I am The Problem, concept and directed by J.Mocek, Sixhouses, 2020, Present: Perfect, concept and directed by J.Mocek, Sixhouses, 2021

ONLY ADDITIONALLY DO WE LEARN WHAT OUR PRODUCTIONS ARE ABOUT
interview with Jan Mocek

Jan MOCEK: I AM THE PROBLEM

RUSSIA HIT ROCK BOTTOM TO FORGET
interview with Varvara Faer

Viktor SHENDEROVICH: SWEET ON MEMORY (excerpt)

Marina Krapivina
THE BLOODY AFTERTASTE OF SWEET ON MEMORY

Barbora Etlíková
ON FAMILY WITH A RED SKELETON
The Last of Soviets at Theatre in Dlouhá Street
Světlana Alexijevich, Daniel Majling: The Last of Soviets, directed by Michal Vajdička, Divadlo v Dlouhé, 2022

Barbora Sedláková
THE DREAMS MUSEUM AND THE CIRCUS OF CRAFTY VICIOUSNESS
three times The Goose on a String Theatre
Anna Pammrová, Otokar Březina: Pammrová/Březina, directed by Jan Frič, Divadlo Husa na provázku, 2021; Milorad Pavić, Jan Mikulášek, Kateřina Menclerová: Dictionary of the Khazars, directed by Jan Mikulášek, Divadlo Husa na provázku, 2022; Aglaja Veteranyi: Why the Child Is Cooking in the Polenta?, directed by Ondrej Spišák, Divadlo Husa na provázku, 2022

Vladimír Mikulka
MACBETH AND RICHARD, OUR CONTEMPORARIES
Macbeth at The Drama Club, Richard III. at Dejvice Theatre
William Shakespeare: Macbeth, directed by Ondřej Sokol, Činoherní klub, 2022; William Shakespeare: Richard III., directed by SKUTR, Dejvické divadlo, 2022

Ester Žantovská
THE END OF A GIRLISH DREAM
Ballet Dancers at Akropolis Palace
Miřenka Čechová and Spitfire Company: Ballet Dancers, concept and performance M.Čechová, Spitfire Company, 2022

Vladimír Mikulka
SAD ENDINGS
Štěpán Pechar as The Man from Malta and Burgan by Handa Gote
Muž z Malty, concept, choreography and directed by Štěpán Pachar, Dekkaedancers, 2021; Burgán, Handa Gote research & development, 2022

Marie Zdeňková
WAITING FOR THE SUN
JEDL: OPERA IBSEN/Ghosts
Henrik Ibsen: OPERA IBSEN/Ghosts, libretto by Lucie Trmíková, music by Matouš Hejl, directed by Jan Nebeský, JEDL, 2022

Michaela Mojžišová
REMINISCENCES FROMA PRISON CELL
Jánáček’s Jenůfa at Theater an der Wien
Leoš Janáček: Jenůfa, conductor Marc Albrecht, directed by Lotte de Beer, Theater an der Wien, 2022

SHORT PLAYS FROM WARTIME UKRAINE:
Elena ASTASEVA: A DICTIONARY OF EMOTIONS IN A TIME OF WAR
Julia GONCHAR: RETALIATION
Andrii BONDARENKO: PEACE AND TRANQUILITY
Lena LAGUSHONKOWA: TOPOL-M ROCKET FIRED AT A CAT NAMED BROOCH
Liudmila TYMOSHENKO: MY TARA
Oksana GRYTSENKO: THE PEED-UPON PERSONEL CARRIER

Jakub Folvarčný
SAY: KUKYELNYI TIATR

OUTSIDE THE BOX 2: Jan Kratochvíl: DREAMS

Marie Zdeňková
WATER – FIRE – BLOOD
about new movie by Miroslav Bambušek

Pavlína Drnková
TURN TO THE OBJECT

LUKÁŠ&BELIS: DISASTERS 3 FULFILLED WISHES

The issue opens with the section dedicated to immersive theatre and Jakub Molnár begins by dealing with the topic on a general level (“Three Personal Stopovers Regarding Viewers’ «Emancipation»”). There is also an interview with Lukáš Brychta, the most distinctive figure in this genre (“It’s Not an Ossified Form, It Compels Us to a Constant Self-examination”). The director Marika Smreková writes in a follow-up to the miniseries “Other Perspectives” about her experience with theatre run directly “in the field” together with local people (“Participative Theatre as a Tool of Social Inclusion”) and Eliška Raiterová writes about the phenomenon of audio-walks (“City, Walk with Me”), stopping at the projects Bedřich: The First Time in Prague and Above the City (Pomezí) and Dreamy Walking (Michał Salwiński). The section continues with two stops at works by Jan Mocek, a theatre maker who has shifted from motion productions to the original form of political and socially engaged theatre. Vladimír Mikulka (“Without Simple Answers”) writes about a showcase in the framework of which Mocek’s productions were presented: Shadow Meadow, Virtual Ritual, I am the Problem (we also publish the text) and Present: Perfect. The section closes with an interview with Jan Mocek (“Only Additionally do We Learn What Our Productions are About”). The section entitled “From Different Sides… (Russian) Memory” is dedicated to Russia and issues connected with the Soviet past and the present aggression of Putin’s regime. An excerpt from Viktor Shenderovich’s play Sweet on Memory is accompanied by the interview with director of the Russian production, a leading actress of the independent opposing Teatr.doc, Varvara Faer (“Russia Hit Rock Bottom to Forget”) and Marina Krapivina’s review “The Bloody Taste of Sweet on Memory”. A different point of view is observed in a review of a production The Last of the Soviets, adapted from Svetlana Alexievich’s novel at Theatre in Dlouhá Street (Barbora Etlíková: “On a Family with a Red Skeleton”). The review section “Contemporaries… from a Prison Cell” offers Barbora Sedláková’s essay (“The Dreams Museum and the Circus of Crafty Viciousness”) about three productions by The Goose on a String Theatre (Pammrová/Březina, directed by Jan Frič, Dictionary of the Khazars by Jan Mikulášek, and Why the Child Is Cooking in the Polenta by Ondřej Spišák) and a comparison of two Shakespearean productions by Ondřej Sokol and the SKUTR duo, staged within a short time period by two Prague chamber theatres, The Drama Club and Dejvice Theatre (Vladimír Mikulka: “Macbeth and Richard, Our Contemporaries”). The following reviews look at productions that combine elements of drama, theatre of motion, stand-up comedy and musical theatre in unusual ways. Ester Žantovská writes about a production by Miřenka Čechová, based on her autobiographical book Ballet Dancers (“The End of a Girlish Dream”), Vladimír Mikulka about Burgan by the Handa Gote research & development ensemble and The Man from Malta by Štěpán Pechar (“Sad Endings“), and Marie Zdeňková (“Waiting for the Sun“) about a quasi-operatic opus OPERA IBSEN/Ghosts by the Theatre association JEDL. The section closes with Michaela Mojžišová’s review of Janáček’s Jenůfa, staged at Theater an der Wien (“Reminiscences from a Prison Cell”). The following section of the issue is dedicated to Ukraine. Six topical short plays by contemporary Ukrainian authors (Elena Astaseva, Julia Gonchar, Andrii Bondarenko, Lena Lagushonkowa, Liudmyla Tymoshenko and Oksana Grytsenko) originating from the international Worldwide Readings Project are accompanied by a text in which Jakub Folvarčný describes his experience with performing for Ukrainian refugees (“Say: Kukyelnyi Tiatr”). The final section “Mix… and Comics” opens with the next instalment of the Outside the Box series, this time comprising dreams of the musician Jan Kratochvíl, complemented by Jaroslav Plachý’s illustrations. Marie Zdeňková (“Water – Fire – Blood”) writes about the movie Blood Kin in the context of Miroslav Bambušek’s theatre works and Pavlína Drnková (“Turn to the Object”) reflects on possible perspectives on object theatre. The comic strip Disasters continues with the instalment Fulfilled Wishes, drawn by Silvie Belis on the basis of Karel Lukáš’s rhymes.