Culture this week: Sci-fi in Prague cinemas and a 'Streetcar' on stage

Doors of perception | Starting on Dec. 8, the exhibition I Went Through That Door and I Never Came Back at Meet Factory presents a wide spectrum of artistic approaches, media, themes and personal attitudes towards changed states of consciousness. Additionally, it is an invitation to open new doors in our life, regardless of the strategy we choose to do so.

Christmas fair and book bazaar | On Dec. 14, the National Library offers a series of events, including a fair of Christmas decorations, with products made in sheltered workshops and the Creative Librarians' Club, a book bazaar, guided tours of Křižovnická corridors and the Mirror Chapel, and a concert of the Prážata children choir in the Mirror Chapel at 3 p.m. All events have free admission.

Dinner date | Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult go on an unforgettable date at the Hawthorn, a restaurant on a coastal island in the Pacific Northwest, with a sprinkle of chaos along the way. The horror-comedy Menu, which sees an on screen menu served with a terrifying twist, is at Kino Pilotů (with Czech subtitles) on Dec. 12.

Highly anticipated | James Cameron's Avatar: The Way of Water, which is part of the Future Gate Sci-Fi Film Festival, premieres in Prague with English-friendly screenings on Dec. 15 at the Bio Oko Cinema, Světozor Great hall, and the Přítomnost Cinema. Catch up with Jake and Neytiri and enjoy a special evening prepared by Future Gate for all fans of Avatar and the science fiction genre at the Bio Oko.

Dense animal dystopia | Watch a zoological revolution unfold in Everything Will Be Fine, a farce in which "political language inhabits our dreams and consumes us" to allow "graceful and gentle disobedience" to emerge. Written and directed by Cambodian-French filmmaker Rithy Panh, the movie plays on Dec. 15 at Edison Filmhub (in French, with Czech and English subtitles).

Flamenco meets Moravian folklore |The dance-theater performance Sen o Božena (A dream about God), on stage at Divadlo Ponec on Dec. 12, interweaves different forms of dance and movement. Project author Jana Drdácká has been a leading interpreter and promoter of flamenco in Czechia for decades. Her latest work is based on an effort to find inspiration and connections between flamenco and other dance forms, especially Moravian folklore, expressive dance and contemporary modern dance. 

Bergman's eight characters | Inspired by Swedish director Ingmar Bergman, the creator of more than 50 films and over 120 theatrical productions, Persona is at Divadlo Na zábradlí on Dec. 12 (in Czech, with English subtitles). Set in a non-descript flat, the play sees eight actors bring new condensed dramas to life; every new tenant brings a new story, with its faces, fates, stories, and moods.

The passion of Carmen | Georges Bizet's opera Carmen is on Dec. 13 at the National Theater (in French and Czech with English subtitles). A passionate love story set in southern Spain, the opera charts the downfall of Don José, a soldier who is blinded by his infatuation with beautiful gypsy Carmen. This was the first ever foreign opera to be played at the National Theater in 1884, shortly after its opening.

Sex and drugs and wheelchairs | Inspired by the 2006 Norwegian black comedy film with the same title, The Art of Negative Thinking plays on Dec. 14 at Švandovo divadlo na Smíchově (with English supertitles). A noteworthy quote from the play: "But you must have experienced something nice lately we can talk about, haven't you? Lately I've been paralyzed and impotent. So no, I don't think I have experienced anything nice."

Ballet named desire | The ballet version of the Tennessee Williams' play "Streetcar Named Desire" premieres on Dec. 15 at The Estates Theater in a performance by the National Theater Ballet. The play, which had a renowned 1951 movie adaptation starring Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh, is a psychological story set in the south of the U.S. that follows the lives of Stella, her husband Stanley, and her sister Blanche. 

Rock intensity | Irish rock bank The Clockworks come to Café V lese on Dec. 12. The band was signed in 2019 by Creation Records founder Alan McGee, who was at the birth of bands like My Bloody Valentine, Primal Scream or Oasis. McGee has faith in the band's bright future: "They're great live and have the songs to make them a big band. Now they've got major labels circling around them. I can't imagine them not making it."

African rhythms | Mamadou Diabaté & Percussion Mania come to Futurum Music Bar on Dec. 13 in a concert of the multinational ensemble of musicians from Burkina Faso, Colombia and Slovenia. Mamadou Diabaté, a native of Burkina Faso, is one of the most well-known players of the West African xylophone, known as balafon. The band's international line-up brings additional nuances to the Western African soundscapes.

Lord of the Rings in concert | Celebrate 20 years since the release of the first Lord of the Rings movie on Dec. 14 at O2 universum with a spectacular film projection and the performance with a live orchestra. The performance brings together the Lviv Philharmonic Orchestra, which celebrates 120 years since its foundation this year, the Charles University Choir, and the Prague Philharmonic Children's Choir.