Spring Theater in Prague

Prague-based experimental theatre company A Broad’s Way Productions are back by popular demand with a revival run of their sell-out show Dokola. You can catch a special encore of their modern-day adaption of Arthur Schnitzler’s controversial and sexually charged play La Ronde at Divadlo 21 (formerly Malé Vinohradské divadlo) from  February 12 – 16. The show tells an intimate tale of connection (and disconnection) surrounding the intertwined sexual relationships of ten unique individuals living in modern day Prague. The performance offers a unique and updated perspective on the story, which marries theatre, film, dance, and original music to explore these ten diverse relationships. In English with Czech surtitles. Shows start at 19:30 at Divadlo 21, Záhřebská 21, Prague 2. Tickets: 250 CZK. Visit dokola.tumblr.com for advance ticket reservations and more information.

Watch the Dokola trailer:

Blood, Love, and Rhetoric, Prague’s most prolific English-language theatre company, has a whole host of forthcoming productions to check out this season. Details below:

February 14 and 15 at Alfred ve dvoře Theatre
ART by Yasmina Reza, directed by Nicholas Windley
When art lover Serge buys a pure white painting for 200,000 Euro, her best friend, Marcella, goes ballistic and Yvana gets squeezed in the middle. Questions about the meaning of strange modern art and strange modern friendships – and how they’re sometimes not all that different – fly thick in the limelight.

March 1 and 2 at Alfred ve dvoře Theatre
ALICE written and directed by Odessa Primus
A surreal exploration of Lewis Carroll through the after-life of the woman behind Alice, who confronts him through the looking glass.

March 15-17 at Studio Alt@
MEDWAY written by Adam Gamble, directed by Logan Hillier and Ruy Okamura
Trapped in the hemispheres and condemned as a terrorist, Medway seeks the answer to the ultimate question – who am I?

April 11 – 13 at Divadlo Inspirace
ANALYSES written and directed by Ivan Mikyska and Vaclav Pinos
The composer Tomislaus Aloys is dying, with no one but his favourite granddaughter for company, and no one to understand his life-long work, except perhaps Simon, a mysterious newcomer. A sometimes-absurd drama about legacies, understandings, and misreadings.

April 27 and 28 at Divadlo Inspirace
ELIXIR written by Christy Hawkins
Prague’s favourite alchemists race to discover the secret of eternal youth before Rudolf II feeds them to his menagerie. A bawdy historical comedy of sex, betrayal, and magic in the city where it all (probably) happened.

May – date and venue TBA
CHESS directed by Mark Waldron, musical direction by Benjamin McGarr
In the midst of the Cold War, an epic chess match between the USSR and the USA is about to take place. But when the secret services get involved, Chess is not the only game that will be played.

Blood, Love & Rhetoric are also running regular Improvisation Comedy Shows throughout the season at the various venues, see www.blrtheatre.com for more details and to receive updates from their mailing list or Facebook page.

Prague Playhouse, one of the city’s longest running English-language theatre companies, had a fantastic summer season with their award-nominated musical production of Sweeney Todd. They’ve just finished a run of their regular festive show A Christmas Carol and are launching into their 2013 season with the Tennessee Williams classic The Glass Menagerie in the first half of May. If you think you’ve got what it takes to join the cast and would like to get involved, auditions will take place on Sunday February 3rd and Monday February 4th. Full details can be found on the Prague Playhouse website.

The popular Playhouse acting classes are continuing throughout the year on Monday and Wednesday nights at 18:30. More information at www.acting.cz

The relative newcomer Prague Youth Theatre began its second year in September 2012 with a very busy term of workshops, exams, castings, and rehearsals. Director Adam Stewart told us that some of the highlights included dance, voice and movement workshops led by local actors and teachers Lindsay Taylor and Jay De Yonker, short film castings by FAMU and Prague Film School, a professional photo shoot held by Prague Film and Theater Center for those students interested in professional film and theatre work, and top marks awarded to all PYT students in their London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts examinations. As well as all these exciting activities, PYT students also found time to rehearse for their sell-out performances in December.

Rehearsals are now well underway for their upcoming shows in June. PYT Seniors will perform The Musicians by Patrick Marber and PYT Juniors will be performing Morgan and the Martians by Victoria Twead. In February, PYT Seniors will compete in the Class in Action Youth Theatre Competition in Prague and in March the young PYT Tots group will perform two well-known children’s stories at Divadlo Kampa (www.kampa.cz).

If your child is aged 4 – 6 and you would like them to take part in the PYT Tots performances in March, there are still places available. Rehearsals take place on Tuesdays from 16:00 – 17:00 and Wednesdays from 16:15 – 17:15 at Amadito and Friends Bookstore. For more information or to register your child, please visit the website www.pyt.cz or contact Adam Stewart at adam@pyt.cz.

Alternative theatre company Akanda (who’s film documenting the creation of their last production Marat/Sade just closed at the Liverpool Biennale and is currently showing in Toronto, Canada until May 5) is planning two shows to open in April/May (exact dates TBA). Firstly, Beirut by Alan Bownes: an extremely dark look at love in the midst of the apocalypse. Later, a reintroduction of their popular version of Eric Bogosian’s Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll, adapted as only Akanda can! As of February, they will also be reintroducing their monthly open mic night Shoot Your Mouth at Vodka Bar Propaganda. More details on all these performances can be found via the Akanda Facebook page.

The 12th annual Prague Fringe Festival returns to Malá Strana from May 24 – June 1. This eclectic collection of theatre, comedy, music and dance performances is not to be missed; more details and a chat with the festival’s organiser, long-term expat Steve Gove, will follow in the next round-up. In the meantime, if you’d like to take part in the event, there are still places available on the team of Prague-based Festival Assistants who have the responsibility of running the various venue box offices and promoting the event across the city via a dedicated street team. In return, assistants enjoy the benefits of watching the many shows taking place throughout the week, as well as mingling and networking with hundreds of performers from all over the world. If you’d like to take part and are available for the above dates, then check out the full details on the Fringe website and fill in the application form here.

Other notable mentions include:

Divadlo Ponec – various dance and non-verbal performances over the next few months.
Švandovo Divadlo – variety of Czech shows with English surtitles.
Narodni Divadlo – Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, and many other classic ballets and operas with no language barrier.
Crown Comedy Club – English stand-up comedy with professional comedians. February 12 at 20:00.
Alchemy Presents…. This regular open mic night for poets and literary fans returns on Monday  February 4 to the Napa Bar in Malá Strana.

For regular theatre listings, don’t forget to check (and submit your events to) the theatre section of our What’s On pages here https://www.expats.cz/entertainment/theatre/

Crown Comedy Club – English stand-up comedy – February 12 at 20:00.

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• WIN: Four Days in Motion
• Summer Theatre in English