Meeting Point 03 EN by Martina Víchová

SETKÁNÍ/ENCOUNTER 8–12 APRIL 2014

MEETING POINT 10 April 2014 | 03 | EN

SETKĂ NĂ?/ENCOUNTER 10 APRIL 2014

editorials

main programme

offprogramme

interview

party

little nothing

programme

infocentre

photoreport

MEETING POINT 24th year of the International Festival of Theatre Schools SETKÁNÍ/ENCOUNTER 8–12 April 2014 Editor in Chief Martin Macháček

Vice Editor in Chief Karolína Vyhnálková

Assistant of Vice Editor in Chief Kateřina Uhrová

Redactors Magdalena Baumannová, Patrik Boušek, Daniela Boková, Jasmína Finkeová, Michaela Havlíčková, Jiřina Hofmanová, Nikol Jančíková, Tomáš Kubart, Martina Mašlárová, Hana Neničková, Matěj Randár, Barbora Reichmanová, Karolína Svitálková, Miriam Šedá, Markéta Špetíková

Translation Lenka Drbalová, Dominika Kováčová, Eva Šoltésová, Lada Štichová

Proof Reading of Czech Version Klára Englišová, Jan Krupa

Proof Reading of English Version Adrian Hundhausen

Typesetting Martina Víchová

Photographers Pavel Nesvadba, Václav Mach, Petr Chodura, Lucie Říhová, Dominik Benedikt Hájek

Organizer Janáčkova akademie múzických umění v Brně Divadelní fakulta Mozartova 1, 662 15 Brno IČO: 62156462 DIČ: CZ62156462

City of unfathomable surprises They say that Brno can always surprise you. For example, a woman dropped through the pavement during the 70s, and even though the police put an enormous effort into finding her, they never did. The captain of public services did employ dogs and a helicopter, but before anyone could explain to him that people usually fall down and not up, and before he had time to employ scuba divers, he discovered with “a surprise” that the Velvet Revolution had happened and the investigation was called off. Therefore, it is no surprise that besides the police, the weather reporters are wrong as well. A previous calculation – that Meeting Point can be used as an amazing fan during hot days – has, during the downpour, undergone considerable revision. Now yous see that the high quality cover of our bulletin is almost waterproof. So if you met groups of people during the afternoon, looking like fools in their paper hats, trust me – those were the smarter ones that did not get drenched. The most surprising thing about yesterday, however, was the crucial change in the organization of the merriest party. It could be, with only a slight exaggeration, marked as editorial, because it was the Meeting Point / Party. An event associated with the edges of the stainless steel toilets of Fléda Club was replaced with something a little bit different, but new and surprising. We hope that you enjoyed it and that you were surprised. We were amazed as well. Martin Macháček

EDITORIALS

Editorial No. 4

MAIN PROGRAMME

FROM PINOCCHIO ITALY, ROME

group dramaturgy Director: Emiliano Russo Set: Bruno Buonincontri Costumes: Emiliano Russo Choreography: Monica Scalese Music: selection Lighting design: Sergio Ciattaglia First Night: 18/11/2013 Cast: Valentina Carli, Barbara Chichiarelli, Flaminia Cuzzoli, Valerio D‘amore, Arianna Di Stefano, Desiréé Domenici, Carmine Fabbricatore, Matteo Mauriello, Marco Mazzanti, Gianluca Pantosti, Ottavia Orticello, Matteo Ramundo

Italy: From Pinocchio The production's Director, Emiliano Russo, has chosen for his staging the general theme of human development from childhood to adulthood and he has connected it to the well-known story of Pinocchio. A question arises from the beginning – are we going to get wiser in the end, such as Pinocchio did, or will we fail to find any solution whatsoever? The Director leaves the answer to this question to our discretion, including the resources and the free will that every person has. The Director's work with the actors consisted in exactly guiding their movements on the stage with cooperation and mutual trust. They were dependent on one another; no one could mess up, the slightest error would come to light. The overall choreography was plastic – one movement flowed into the next. Actors created shapes that might have 6

meaning but didn't have to mean anything at all. The rhythm of the staging was also exact. The Director achieved exactness through dynamic movement on the stage accompanied by music which often resembled film melodies. Overall relaxation occurred when the actors climbed up on a ramp and told their story, which the audience understood despite the language barrier. The actors were natural, but they at the same knew when to choose what emotion, when to mute their voices as well as the right time to intensify them. In this production, human development had twelve portrayals, which were continuously linked. The Director did not use any sharp transitions between the individual steps in human development. I would like to point out, as the best scene, the portrayal of first love. Each movement and every expression on their faces bore clear emotion. The actor together with the actress together established a few amorous emotions that led to other places than first love, and all this was done with the help of clear gestures and mime. The audience was in utter silence. If there is anyone who says that this did not give them the shivers, they are lying. The production was primarily a tribute to the choreographer Pina Bausch. Her influence on the Director could be seen from the beginning. The Director was inspired by the choreographer’s ideas and ways of working with the body, but he definitely did not copy her. He often uses, like Pina Bausch, the actors' movements in a row, diagonally across the stage, along with highly symbolic gestures. Nikol Jančíková

Pinocchio As a Life That Is Not a Fairy Tale The story of Pinocchio is often perceived as a simple fairy tale because of Pinocchio‘s naive Disney esque appearance. The wanderings of a little boy who is making it through life, experiencing the inevitable adventures and injustices, is in a way the archetypal image of a human growing up. This parallel is clearly visible in the production by this Italian ensemble that treats the original story as a basic framework to be transformed into universal parables. Pinocchio, like any child, is innocent at first – so almost-naked Italian actors in pure white underwear perform the dance of birth to pounding but hope-evoking music. While sitting, they poke out their hands, grow, explore their bodies and existence itself. “Once upon a time, there was a piece of wood,” the well-known introductory sentence of the story sounds through the room – a piece of wood, a material that life has to shape. Even the wooden, mechanical movements of the actors are changing. They come to present themselves on the proscenium, each with their own story. The story develops in the course of the production – we can hear echos of teachers who are trying to calm down the errant youth. A child’s innocence will get covered up with clothing as the characters stare worryingly and suspiciously at the world. We observe the first shy erotic encounters, we hear the story of the first love-making but then the fun ends abruptly. Being an adult makes you wear a long nose, pretend to laugh at things that are not funny and deal obsessively with existential questions. The audience is directly confronted with such questions through the bizarre interventions of a little bit different turquoise fairy than one would usually expect – a noticeably scarier and darker manipulator. She is soon replaced by an even more disturbing clown. “Die young,” he says in a darkened atmosphere tinged with sinister electronics. Die young, or things will get worse – finita la favola (and this is the end of the fable). The Italian production is an ingeniously crafted shape. The music is in harmony 8

with the stage action. The alternation of the dance and narrative sections is balanced but crude. The proficient actors, whose primary means of communication are facial expressions and looks, are also capable dancers. The director’s acknowledged inspiration – Pina Bausch – and her Tanztheater can be felt in the impressively synchronized collective choreography, resembling for example The Rite of Spring. The repetitive choreography in the scene of seduction (in which the movement saturated with eroticism and meaning particularly stands out) is a citation from the Cafe Müller. The stage design is also an allusion – the series of seats in the background and the costumes, especially the simple, long dresses. The Italian production is easy on the eyes and it can also be easily understood despite the language barrier. Only the fairy tale ending did not come true somehow. Instead, there is reality. Finita la favola. Martina Mašlárová

A COUPLE OF POOR, POLISH-SPEAKING ROMANIANS POLAND, LODZ

Dorota Masłowska Director: Set: Music: First Night:

Małgorzata Bogajewska Maciej Chojnacki Tomasz Krezymon 28. 2. 2013

Cast: Milena Staszuk, Marta Jarczewska, Kamila Kamińska, Hubert Kułacz, Tomasz Lipiński, Patryk Pietrzak

The Poor Spectators Who Don’t Speak Polish… Down the stairs, music blasting away. The Balkans. A group of musicians is playing wild music, strange in all parts of the world, except among those hot-blooded people from the forgotten parts of the European Union. The leader of the band asks for change, she already has some coins on the plate… Who would refuse to donate to people so full of spontaneity? The music fades away and the door opens… On the illustrated stage, on the stage made of illustrations, in the illustrations, briefly, on the white stage full of drawings there are five actors. They move confidently, they articulate with precision and they know exactly what to do. Another concert? Not a Balkan one this time. An acting one? That too. The music accompanying the performance is lively and varied. Acting at hundred percent. Maybe even more – after all, everyone plays some musical instrument. A man, whose name I have not caught, and a woman, whose name is Gina, both dressed in black, are on the road. They may be heading to Warsaw, but most probably not. Probably they are lying and they need to get anywhere, most importantly, they need to get somewhere else, away, somewhere better. So they hitchhike… … And meet other people… 10

…ordinary people. Xenophobic, bizarre, aggressive, ruthless. A man, whose name I have not caught, and a woman named Gina are on the road where no one cares. No one cares if what you carry under your clothes is a baby or an accordion. But all the characters carry with them their problems and frustrations, which they would like to get rid of. But they are not very successful. There are always some “buts,” which prevent them from breaking free. As a result, unease, fear and aggression keep growing. Melting snowmen cry for help, although no one can save them anymore. The man and Gina are on the road. And nothing can stop them. Almost nothing. They refuse to give up – they want to continue their journey around the world, to which God is discreetly showing his middle finger. They want revenge. In a big way. But… They lie to themselves – it doesn’t work like this. It doesn’t matter how long their journey is going to take – they will never reach their destination. The production by the students from Łódź in Poland is based on a text which offers the basic facts of the plot. The truth is that their acting manages to bring out everything important, so that the audience understands all that is necessary and can deduce the rest. Speaking for myself, they offered the best sex scene that I have ever seen… Above all, they have brought a message which, in the world where we can find Polish-speaking Romanians as much as in our world, prevents us from going mad because of the things that happen to us: “Always look on the bright side of life.” However, sometimes even this is not enough. Patrik Boušek Redacted.

Stubbornly

The production of Dorota Masłowska’s dramatic debut A Couple of Poor, Polishspeaking Romanians is an extremely refreshing and accessible play, remarkable especially for its casual character. It begins with the entrance of six musicians, and from among them the individual characters are gradually filtered out (there are some more beside the central couple). A nervous driver, giving an impression of a “respectable” person, tells the police about two hitchhikers, who crammed into his car at a petrol station and asked him to take them no matter where – just away from there. (His testimony might as well be made up: “after all, they are Romanians” and who knows what might happen.) And this is the beginning of the story about the meeting between the strangely childish Dzina and the worldly Parcha. The driver becomes (not completely unreasonably, it is true that the couple acts a little stubbornly) gradually more and more nervous, and Dzina and Parcha get out of the car. First they head towards a bar, then they stop a drunken Russian woman, whom, after an accident, they presumably leave dead in the car, and they find shelter in a house by the road. Loneliness and hopelessness, which they mention during their evening talks, eventually lead to Dzina’s suicide. When I was thinking about a single word which would characterize the whole production, I decided on the word stubbornness – especially in the positive sense of the word. Stubbornness in handling the text, in the clear delineation of individual characters, in exceptionally good acting, in 12

exaggeration; stubbornness in employing various ideas, which fit into the whole just because of the overall fresh stubbornness – whether it be the portrayal of the policeman and his “fans,” the wonderful infidelity scene, or the scenes showing headlights turned on or snail’s antennae lit up. This stubbornness unties the producers' hands where it would indeed be a pity to tie oneself down. In particular, I admire the way they dealt with the fact that most of the play takes place in the car: although at the beginning they resorted to the sort of “we don’t care” approach (totally acceptable here), later they employed the excellent idea of roller-skating. Finally, the only problem with such stubbornness is that form becomes the main topic and, as a result, overshadows all the other aspects of the play which might have triggered further reflection. So next time, try it a little less stubbornly. Markéta Štěpíková

PRINCESS PLAYS AUSTRIA, VIENNA Elfriede Jelinek Director: Set: Costumes: Choreography: Music: Lighting Design: First Night:

Martin Čičvák Hans Hoffer Elisabeth Binder-Neururer Ismael Ivo Adamas Quartett Gerhard Fischer 17. 12. 2013

Cast: Marthe Lola Deutschmann, Maren Galler, Anna-Lisa Grebe, Saskia Klar, Eugen Knecht, Anna Krestel

Him or Me Princess Plays, a drama by the Austrian writer Elfride Jelinek, ponders the topic of womanhood against the background of well-known stories of fairy tales and real life figures. The fates of women known to most of us: Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Jackie Kennedy... The strength of the female will, the fulfillment of fairy tale motives in finding a partner for life, or death. A topic permeating all stories, underlined by a string quartet, which amplifies its urgency. The theme of death appears from the beginning, when one of the actresses lies in a black coffin, very energetically delivering her monologue. A dark scene with five trap doors, full of stone cubes, evokes the atmosphere of a cemetery. Perhaps partly because Sleeping Beauty rests there surrounded by paper doves. A frighteningly large metal hook is hanging over the stage, and Snow white is chased out. Death lurks everywhere. 14

The interaction between Sleeping Beauty and Prince is based on the play “Kdo s koho” (Him or Me). The battle of bodies unravels simultaneously with Sleeping Beauty’s monologue. The Prince undresses himself and frightens her. Putting pressure on a woman and a sort of fulfillment of destiny – “I saved you, now you give in to me” – plays the prime role here. The voluntary nudity of a man contrasts with the forced nudity of a woman, interpreting the stereotypes of relationships and perhaps even the expectations of society. Jackie Kennedy, perfect in her tight white suit, drags black plastic bags across the stage. They resemble human bodies in both size and shape. She takes out a Marilyn Monroe peroxide wig from one of them, puts it on her head and sings Happy Birthday Mr. President. Her satirical smile, together with seductive gestures, parodies her husband’s lover. The most supple and readable scenes are those with Snow White. A young man with the word Invisible printed on his T-shirt bullies a fragile girl. He becomes the Grim Reaper that gradually destroys her. The girl, sitting on her own coffin, starts to schizophrenically alternate form between Snow White and a witch. The man forcefully paints her face white and black. Fresh youth in contrast to the shaking body of an old hag. Death conquers her in the end, and her lifeless body is dragged underground by dwarfs. The performance depends on the extensive monologues of the female heroines. Even though they cope with them quite well, the pace of the production is too slow. The monologues perhaps stand in for physical action, but they cannot replace it. Magdaléna Baumannová

Princesses Challenge the Stereotypes If there is one production which conforms to the existential topic of this year’s festival, then it is certainly The Princess Plays. The play did not try to capture the audience’s attention using a shocking plot – if there was any plot at all. One couldn’t even say that the production was based on building dialogues so much as it was based on long-winded monologues. They were supposed to clarify the perspective of the main characters and force the audience to speculate a little and to step outside their comfortably predefined world. Who – or in the worst scenario, what – is a princess? Is she imprisoned within the predetermined rules of passivity, where she is waiting for her Prince Charming? No freedom of choice? Or can she decide for herself as an individual who she should be? The issue of women’s selfrealization in a world which pigeon-holes everyone in advance is the main topic of Elfriede Jelinek’s play. It does not target the audience’s emotions. By using iconic fairy-tale characters, such as Snow White or the Sleeping Beauty, it makes it easier to identify with them. If we are able to look behind the constrained “and they lived happily ever after,” then it will not be difficult to doubt other commonplaces. What is surprising is the very beginning of the production, presenting an ironic monologue delivered from a coffin outside the theatre. The fact that the speech continues even as the coffin is transferred into the theatre gives it a touch of light pathos. The first uncertain steps lead not only out of the coffin, but in this case, out of the stereotypes as well. Among the princesses there appears one character of a real woman who at first sight does not fit the concept of a princess. Jackie Kennedy was and still remains an iconic personality of American history – she was the prototype of a perfect lady. The contrast between the stiff expression into to which Jackie was forced by her role as the first lady and wife of the beloved president, and the glimpses of a woman who might not have been all that happy in 16

her marriage with the idealized Kennedy, was expressed excellently. The conflict with her husband gradually grows into the conflict with another icon of the time – Marilyn Monroe. Jackie perceives her as sexualized human flesh, which is inevitably forced towards self-destruction. All in all, the audience could be satisfied. The only problem was the absence of subtitles, which did not allow those less skilled in German to fully appreciate the play. Michaela Havlíčková

OFFPROGRAMME

I Am Looking into the Eyes of an Artist and I See... a Chameleon?

As it seems, black umbrellas recently joined the general boom in using plastic in all forms on the student stage. Perhaps young artists are trying to protect themselves from the downpours of criticism by any means possible. Or maybe they are trying not to drown in the sea of changing scenes and situations? Indeed, Metamorphosis, at first sight, looks like a rather peculiar ensemble. In the beginning they huddle under the previously mentioned black umbrella, and then they weave through the cluster of plastic and creased or discarded paper, “morphing” from unremarkable forms into flies, chameleons, frogs, or even into Médea or the Firs from The Cherry Orchard. The disparity in collective direction makes fertile soil for the energetic cast, which is open and capable of sharp turns. Those are handled brilliantly by the entire crew, as they fulfill the school motto: “Show us all that you can do.” The audience can “discover” the unique talent of David Janoška for motion and puppetry, the chanson voice of Tereza Slavovská and the lightness of David Janík’s piano playing. Basically, it is not about but playfulness, about enjoying archetypal situations, if possible, without losing pace, excitement or originality. The truth is that their rigorously executed “courtship of frogs” could hardly fail to entertain anybody. The Off program is the right place for this coltish production, because it mostly just illustrates the ideas, and does not – nor, I presume, is it intended to – go deeper. It offers more than just a pleasant hour spent in the company of a creative group. And let’s be honest, I wish some hours of the main program would pass so quickly. Jiřina Hofmanová 18

Songs for Daddy It feels amazing to leave a performance at the end of which all of the actors and the whole audience are not only smiling and but also singing. For that reason, I must, first of all, wholeheartedly express my thanks. But not for making the whole performance positive. As far as the themes are concerned, there were many of them. Or, at least, a lot of attitudes towards the themes were presented. The rough beginning, which did not seem constrained at all, was cutely followed by one’s own interpretation of freedom and the involvement of the audience, which I usually hate. So sudden, so soft and so sincere – almost moving. The violence really escalated but it is in these moments where we can find its force and unpleasant bitterness. Yes, sure, we all know that the digging is not real but it may well be and somebody… at some other place… some other time… brr. I’m not a big fan of using video in a theater, but I have to admit that it really worked this time. It was indeed funny and it fit the atmosphere. In addition, it was wellgrounded and I appreciate that. The changes in mood always contrasted greatly with one another, which intensified the impression and emphasized the way the themes were presented. Also, it often helped to stress the seriousness of the themes. The actors did a really good job during the whole play, as the characters remained faithful to their given role. What is more, they even managed to enjoy themselves. And here comes the end. I think that it was not soppy and romantic; everybody in the audience who moved by the ending. The girl sitting next to me left as a married woman, and I naively believe that it was not arranged prior to the performance. Pathos and wit were balanced to such an extent that it all looked too easy and, in case of the wedding, it must have really meant something. Daniela Boková

Grandmas for Themselves – Street Theatre What I see in the first moment presents a pleasant surprise. The costumes are convincing, with every detail well worked-out. It needs to be acknowledged that every “grandma” has a unique style and that there is a wide range of costumes to choose from. One can prefer a stylish lady from the 50s, a housewife in slippers, or even a communist shock-worker in black rubber boots and a headscarf, the only thing missing being the pitchfork. Creativity was unlimited and it turned out excellent. Personally, it is hard for me to decide if my favourite is the lady in a folk costume or the one in a nightdress, holding an urn in her hand, and making the passers-by pretty uneasy, since she is threatening to throw its contents at them at any time. The only unifying feature is the paper masks representing wrinkled faces, which permit the actors to remain anonymous. And with the velocity of a snail, the “grandmas” really head toward the city. Today’s route leads down Kobližná Street with its high concentration of people and shops. The passers-by stop to have a look, some of them are shocked, others just amused and the courageous ones ask what is going on. The actors attract attention not only with their looks, but also with their behaviour. They often stop at shop windows and wait for the reactions of the people around. After a while, they start a conversation with each other. Like, for example, a discussion by the flower shop about the quality of the various perennials. The shop assistants are understandably disconcerted but others just laugh. Those who are most angered by the procession are retired people themselves. All of them. It’s a pity that with advancing age, the sense of humour obviously declines. The whole project will be repeated a few times during the festival, so if you come across a weird-looking group of people in faithful costumes, take your time and observe them. You’ll be surprised by the improvisation. Moreover, they conform to some of the main themes of the festival: Who to be? is the crucial one for this project. 20

The personality of “grandma” means something completely different to each of us. The actors will offer you some possible variations, but also much exaggeration and cynicism. It is certainly worth watching! Karolína Svitálková Sweat, Emotions and Tension

“I used to wear three T-shirts!” One of the participants of Radim Vizváry’s Wednesday workshop could use exactly these words to describe it. The path to the pantomime workshop was long and complex, as each actor must prepare properly before his or her performance. Preparation for this workshop consisted of a roughly two-hour progressive warmup. As the demands grew, the participants started to take off their glasses and, subsequently, their sweaters, socks, and other pieces of clothing. Although some were on the verge of exhaustion, Vizváry’s smile and energy pulsed through the entire hall and filled everyone with a new and larger dose of enthusiasm. Once the participants were sufficiently warmed up, they were able to continue to the next point of the four-hour meeting. Vizváry’s method of pantomime consists in becoming aware of tension in the body and the art of using it for precise gestures. Using the tension spread throughout the body, which results in body language, everybody can express themselves thanks to simple yet refined movements. Everyone should have learned at least as much as I did from this workshop, which means taking away with you the ability to show who, where, when and why we are. Barbora Reichmanová 21

Sensitive European questions

The Slovak Macbeth (Macbeth: a Play about Bastards) was the subject of the first morning discussion, which evaluated its qualities and weaknesses over cups of tea and coffee. Director Tomáš Procházka chivalrously faced questions from his colleagues, students, creators, but also from professors. Tuesday's re-run for SETKÁNÍ/ENCOUNTER was the tenth in a row, and the first one that faced foreign and even international critique. During the discussion, Procházka struggled with the topic of language, which was most frequently criticized thing about the production. It was this dissonance that caused mixed reactions within the audience. The host, Magdalena Lišková, noticed it earlier and the director, in response to her question, admitted that he was inspired by Josef Kotta's translation and Heiner Müller's Hamlet-stroj (HamletMachine). The director also incorporated the NagHámádí manuscript, which he connected, in his own words, with “pagan religion.” Professor Noel Witts continued with the topic: “Language was the main problem of the production. We had no idea what you were doing with the text”. Procházka, in response to a colleague’s question regarding the promised change in traditional theatre, said that the traditional Stanislavski Method of realistic theatre is still used in Slovak schools. Above all, there are preconceived ideas of “how to stage Shakespeare.” Apparently they chose Macbeth because it is not as psychological as, for example, Hamlet. The production team went through 22

nearly 30 different recorded productions of Macbeth; however, they did not name any other inspiration beside Müller. Professor Robert Gordon adds: The best thing about your school is the simplicity with which you act, especially with regards to Shakespeare. “With us... it is primarily about rhetoric, more about declamation than acting. The Slovak translation sounded really nice to me. (...) From a director, and I think you are a very talented director, and I would ask for simplicity and consistency.” The professor had in mind the joining of elements: dust, smoke and ash, which conveyed the identical meaning. The same professor posed a delicate question about respect towards women and the need to use Shakespeare’s texts carefully. It is important to bear in mind that in Shakespeare’s era, male chauvinism was a common phenomenon, but the directorial hand should erase or moderate it. Put simply, the director should try to feminize Shakespeare. The discussion raised very important suggestions that transcended not only the framework of the discussion, but also of the entire festival. The statement: “I’m not interested in what happens when the old world has already perished. I’m interested in what happens when it begins to perish” is a very sensitive one, especially in Central Europe. Tomáš Kubart

Some Don‘t Give a Shit The Czech media and the theater community have been talking about nothing but the Drama Studio (Czech Činoherní studio) in Ústí nad Labem for the last two months. The Drama Studio was forced to closed because of uncertain financial support for the next season. The support of the public, however, was unexpected. Even those unaware of the existence of such a theater in Ústí were convinced, all of a sudden, that this quality studio cannot come to an end. Despite all the effort, after 42 years of service, the Drama Studio, so-called Činoherák, performed for the last time a few days ago. Filip Nuckolls, now the former artistic director of the Drama Studio, talked today about the matter. He talked about the history and the background of the relationship between the town and Činoherák for almost an hour. These are the key issues of the presentday situation and the media do not often interpret them clearly. The theater in Ústí is not supported by the town, nor by the apathetic majority. Nuckolls noted that “There are around 10,000 people living in Ústí but the number of regular theatergoers does not exceed 1,200.” Asked if Činoherák should have a guilty conscience about some measures they took, Nuckolls answered that he, as the artistic director, could not devote a lot of his time to solving the situation in this time of crisis because he was also working in another theater. Supposedly, they were also influenced by “political naivety” in the belief that they could cope with the problems without PR agencies and negotiators. The future of the Drama Studio in Ústí is uncertain. Although it is obvious that thanks to clever copyright measures and benefactors from Ústí drama will not disappear completely, one cannot say how it will develop. In the words of the complaining Nuckolls, legislation is complicated and nobody gives a shit about culture. Matěj Randár

Looking for the Dark Horse

The title of the festival itself, SETKÁNÍ/ ENCOUNTER, suggests that meeting with others and the time spent together are the primary goals of the whole week. What is more, there is also a chance for the teachers to meet informally at the time assigned during the festival. The rehearsal room in the Divadlo na Orlí has been chosen for these particular encounters this year. The Encounter of teachers consisted of three parts. The key one was the introduction of the representatives of the countries and their participants. Afterwards, all were invited to the meeting of teachers, to be held on Friday, in which the student institution E:UTSA will be presented. Most importantly, the book The TwentiethCentury Performance Reader by Noel Witts was launched. It all started with an “unusual” reception. The timing must have been unlucky for some, as the reception did not start on time. Had the reception started when it was supposed to, there would have been only members of the guest faculty and some very punctual people present. After a short delay, the moderated discussion and the presentation of each participating faculty followed. All in all, the encounter was afterwards held in a friendly manner, and it was clear that the participants came to terms with the fact that this event is part of the festival. Keep it up! Karolína Svitálková

INTERVIEW

When the Festival Ends, I Will Not Know What to Do with My Life

“I am primarily curious about how the student jury will work and whether the views will vary much between the student and the professional juries. We shall see whether the artistic sentiment is the same across generations, or not,” says Veronika Bošelová, the Coordinator of the Festival, about one of the novelties of this year. She has spent the last year and a half of her life organising the Festival. What surprised her about the work as coordinator and what is she concerned about the most? What are you personally looking forward to the most within the Festival? The thing I’m looking forward to the most is when the idea of “meeting” comes true. I can‘t wait to meet the people who came to the festival and see their performances. I am also very curious to see what the participants will say after the end of the Festival, and I hope that they will give only nice testimonials (laughter). What surprised you the most about the work of the Coordinator? I was surprised the most by the fact that there‘s really a lot to be done (laughter). I was expecting it to be hard work, but I guess I couldn’t imagine in advance how demanding a job it would be. On the other hand, I still think even more could be done, but fortunately I have a really good team of people around me who really help me. Do you collaborate with the former Coordinator? Has she shared any advice or experience with you? 26

You work very closely with volunteers. How does this cooperation work and how do you find the volunteers? We have about eleven or twelve volunteers, which is a rather decent number. The ladies are involved as attendants, they help at the Infocentre, or work together with a specific section throughout the Festival. Well, I am very pleased that they contacted us, which suggests that the festival is getting more into the subconscious of people in Brno. What are your memories of previous years? It was a little bit more complicated for me; this is actually my first opportunity to see the festival in all its glory. The first year, I worked in the editorial office, which meant that I did not get out of room 408 for the whole week because I literally lived there. But I must say that even though it was very difficult, it was an excellent experience for me. Last year, I worked at the Infocentre, and as I had worked with a closed group of people in the editorial room, this was a terrible shock for me because everyone turns up at the Infocentre. I would never have believed how many people could fit into that little room (laughter). What will be the first thing you do when the festival ends? I have no idea, I’m terribly afraid of what comes next. A person lives at a maximum with the Festival for a year and a half and I’m sure I will miss it terribly. I might not get a single e-mail next week, which will be the strangest thing because now I get about 40 e-mails a day. We‘ll see, perhaps some e-mails will come my way (laughter). Hana Neničková

PARTY

The discussions with the former Coordinator took place last year. The Organisational team is actually created a year and a half before the Festival, so when the last year was happening, we were actually working on this year. Therefore, Tereza Koudelová, the former Coordinator, and I would often get together last year to discuss the do‘s and don‘ts. And the same cooperation is taking place this year between me and the incoming coordinator.

PARTY

The Ghosts Have Come to Melodka Meeting point party, the most awaited epic party, was held on the second evening of the festival. Compared with the previous years, it was moved from spacious Fléda to the smaller, but more intimate, club Melodka this years. This club is indeed perfect for such an encounter. The forerunner boy band Ghost of You looked a little uneasy but their music lured a number of students of theater sciences into dancing. The band succeeded in warming up the crowd for the main band of the evening, The Prostitutes, playing indie rock. The club was quickly filled with the audience who were coming from the evening performance in Divadlo na Orlí. The participants of the festival were not afraid to let off steam and they enjoyed the concert very much. During the night, one could take a photo with girls in sexy green minidress, who gladly posed for the camera (Starobrno promotional event). The event was hosted by the experienced hosting duo, well-known from the JAMU ball held this year. Who did not feel like dancing or shouting down the bands, he/she could easily get to know new people and have a friendly chat as the club Melodka was imaginarily divided into two opposing zones. One could engage in various discussions in the first, i.e. entrance, room. Those engaged with the theatre life in Brno came to the meeting too. Many were interested in playing table football and it was not left unattended for one second. The place was busy, just like the whole club. Jasmína Finkeová

I can offer you one single answer. ALWAYS! There is no day when I don‘t encounter a few people whose typologies are so specific that they could be setting fashion trends in uselessness. Some of them are so skinny that they could curl up and easily fit into the hole which in their chest. You know, the one where your belt buckle should be. The others are, to the contrary – to put it nicely – so massive that I would be able to recall all my medal-winning performances in crawling while escaping from the unexpected tsunami of fat. They would tell us at our swimming lessons that the kids with the evaluation DOPLHIN cannot be drowned by anything. But as I see them, I cannot catch my breath. Even in well-aired rooms. “Brr,” some say. But it all actually functions well, just like in an anthill. Or, even better! Just like the gear system in the astronomical clocks of the biggest cathedrals! The clock dial is moved by figures which look, more or less, like stretched chewing gum, and it is pretty unclear whether the thigh bone is still located in the hip or replaces the whole spine. They start to function as a lubricant for those disgusting, liquid, human boulders whose folds are like two teeth fitting into each other. Now, only one question arises. When is the best time… to lose weight? Miriam Šedá

LITTLE NOTHING

When Is the Best Time… To Gain Weight?

PROGRAMME

PROGRAMME APRIL 10 SETKÁNÍ/ENCOUNTER 9:00 Discussion with a breakfast

Chill out room

10:30 Russia, Saint-Petersburg [WJ]

How Can I Ruin You if I Love You More

Than Life...

Goose on a String Theatre

11:00 Closed – Fragment from a Non-existent Masterpiece (JAMU)

Room No. 401, Theatre Faculty JAMU

12:00 Workshop

Jazz Dance with D. Strnad

Astorka

13:00 Belgium, Antwerp [WJ]

Stuck in the Mud

Theatre Studio Marta

15:00 Slovenia, Ljubljana [WJ]

Caligula: Going! Going! Gone!

HaTheatre

16:00 ENC Cinema

Chill out room

16:00 Czech Republic, Brno (JAMU)

Stabat mater

Na Orlí Theatre

17:00 Belgium, Antwerp

Stuck in the Mud

Theatre Studio Marta

18:00 Czech Republic, Prague [WJ]

The War

Na Orlí Theatre

19:00 Slovenia, Ljubljana

Caligula: Going! Going! Gone!

HaTheatre

20:00 Czech Republic, Prague

The War

Na Orlí Theatre

20:00 Let´s swing!

Livingstone Club

The list is subject to change. [WJ] – Way of Jury 30

INFOCENTRE

INFOCENTRE Theatre Faculty JAMU Room No. 4 Mozartova 1 662 15 Brno Open from the 7th to the 12th of April 2014 Monday–Friday: 9:00–21:00 Saturday:

9:00–16:00

Infoline: +420 733 127 612

TICKETS Tickets can be bought at the Infocentre 30 minutes before the performance at the latest. If the performance is not sold-out, additional ticket sales will start 15 minutes before the performance at the ticket office of the respective theatre. At off-programme performances, free seats can be taken without a ticket 5 minutes before the start.

TICKET PRICES Main programme: public – 100 Kč students and seniors – 80 Kč students and JAMU pedagogues – 50 Kč Offprogramme: Off-programme performances are free but it is necessary to collect the tickets at the Infocentre. Meeting Point Party: In advance – 100 Kč On the spot – 150 Kč

THE OFFPROGRAMME WRISTBAND Price 30 CZK per band includes:

•

discount at selected restaurants (the list of companies will be available at the Festival Infocentre and on the website)

• •

discounts on merchandise 10%

access to the VIP Lounge Club Livingstone (applies to final Festival night)

• ticket

to all Encounter nights (except 31

Meeting point party). The Offprogramme wristband is cool!

FESTIVAL WARE At Infocentre you can buy this festival ware:

• • • • • • • • • •

T-shirts (men, women) – 200 CZK Badge small – 15 CZK Badge middle – 20 CZK Canvas bag – 100 CZK Lighter – 20 CZK Glasses – 100 CZK Pendant Minimon – 100 CZK Earring Minimon 1pc – 50 CZK Brooch Minimon – 80 CZK Chocolate S/E 2014 – 30 CZK

FESTIVAL PREMISES Theatre Faculty JAMU (Infocentre, Chill Out Room, Dalibar 013) – Mozartova st. 1 Na Orlí Theatre / Music and Drama Laboratory JAMU – Orlí st. 19 Theatre Studio Marta – Bayerova st. 575/5 Goose on a String Theatre – Zelný trh sq. 9 HaTheatre – Poštovská st. 8d Melodka Club – Kounicova st. 20/22 Livingstone Club – Dominikánské sq. 5 Kunštátská Trojka Café – Dominikánská st. 9

CHILL OUT ROOM Theatre Faculty JAMU, open every festival day 9:00–20:00 hod. The chill out room is a place for all the participants of the festival who are searching for a quiet place to relax and to rest. There will be free magazines to read, board games to play, table football and a Wi-Fi connection. Soft drinks and beer will be available on tap in the chill out room from our sponsor – Starobrno brewery.

PHOTOREPORT

PHOTOREPORT FROM WEDNESDAY