November 2017
Tue
20:00
Ordinary People
Jana Svobodová, Wen Hui and coll. / Archa Theatre / Living Dance StudioEnglish–friendly
AKCENT FESTIVAL
A meeting of Czech and Chinese stories on one stage. Tales of desire, of cruelty, of joy, of blood, of unhealed traumas, of love and of death are narrated in parallel by various theatrical means. Music, dance, video art and light design are created by Czech and Chinese artists together directly in front of the viewers' eyes in a constantly changing scene. Apparently business with China is more important for ordinary people than human rights. That's what politicians say. What is it like when Czechs and Chinese tell their "ordinary" stories?
Trailer on YouTube
Vladimír, 73, lives in a small town near Prague. He worked his whole life in a factory as a turner and toolmaker. When he was young he was one of the best rock and roll dancers in Prague. Every Saturday night he was the king of the dance floor, dancing an extravagant "capitalist" dance, until the police would come and escort him out. Saturday after Saturday the same story would be repeated. They could not repress his passion to dance freely.
Wen was born in the 1960s and is a dancer and choreographer. She lives in Beijing. She was trained at the theatre academy to be the prima ballerina of the propaganda ballet company. The time of her youth corresponded with the era of student protests and great hopes, which never came to fruition. Her life had been saved, but she has never forgotten the trauma. In the 90s she founded the first independent dance company in China, the Living Dance Studio.
The Living Dance Studio, Beijing
The Living Dance Studio was founded in 1994 by filmmaker Wu Wenguang and choreographer and dancer Wen Hui as the first independent contemporary company in China. Until recently, they were able to work in the Caochangdi Work Station in Beijing, designed especially for them by artist Ai Weiwei. Their productions, in which dance, text and film are often combined into total works of art, document social and historical events from China’s past and present. It gets by without any state subsidies whatsoever. As a rule, the productions cannot be shown publicly. Thus, Wen Hui’s work exists in a semi-public grey area of state toleration. The Living Dance Studio is invited regularly to perform in Europe, the USA and other countries.
Reviews
"A magnificent celebration of ordinary lives that flies in the face of all demagogues." Lidové noviny
"Under the joint guidance of Jana Svobodová and Wen Hui and thanks to the creators of the music, video and light design, a fine array of theatrical images with something deep at its core was created; a theatre where the viewer can unravel a mystery and learn with wonder about something unusual and strange." Dresdner Neueste Nachrichten
"An emotion-filled drama that ends with joy, passion, and perhaps the promise of freedom." Taneční aktuality
Credits
Performed by: Wen Hui, Vladimír Tůma, Philipp Schenker, Wen Luyuan, Pan Xiaonan, Jan Burian ml., Li Yuyao, Jaroslav Hrdlička and Pavel Kotlík
Directed by Wen Hui and Jana Svobodová
Music and sound design: Jan Burian ml.
Video art: Jaroslav Hrdlička
Light design: Pavel Kotlík
Assistent director: Valida Babayeva
Dramaturgy: Ondřej Hrab
Dramaturgical assistance: Lonneke van Heugten and Carmen Mehnert
Translations: Ian Yang, Anna Vrbová, Andre Swoboda
Subtitles: Haruna Honcoopová
Production: Jindřich Krippner
Special thanks: Martin C. Putna and Zuzana Li
In Czech and Chinese with Czech and English subtitles.
The performance is a co-production by the Archa Theatre and the Hellerau European Centre for the Arts,Dresden and Théâtre de la Ville Paris within the European project Theatron and with the financial support of the Culture Program.
Premieres in Prague on 22 and 23 January 2017 and in Dresden on 27 and 28 January 2017.
Other dates:
30 January 2017 — Husa na provázku Theatre, Brno, Czech Republic
27 October 2017 — Maribor Theatre Festival, Slovenia
9 November2017 — Husa na provázku Theatre, Brno, Czech Republic
18 November 2017 — Teatro-Cine Torres Vedras, Portugal
20–22 November 2017 — Archa Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic
27–22 October 2018 — Archa Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic
16–23 July 2019 — Festival d'Avignon, Avignon, France
5–9 November 2019 — Festival d'Automne, Paris, France
15–16 November 2019 — Archa Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic
20–21 November 2019 — Théâtre des Louvrais, Scène nationale, Cergy-Pontoise, France
26–27 November 2019 — Festival Next, La Rose des Vents, Villeneuve d'Ascq, France
30 November 2019 — Teatro Municipal, Porto, Portugal
Performance was supported by
Wed
10:00
Ordinary People
Jana Svobodová, Wen Hui and coll. / Archa Theatre / Living Dance StudioEnglish–friendly
AKCENT FESTIVAL
Archa for Schools
Wed
20:00
Ordinary People
Jana Svobodová, Wen Hui and coll. / Archa Theatre / Living Dance StudioEnglish–friendly
AKCENT FESTIVAL
Fri
10:00
Fidlovačka or Who are We?
Spielraum Kollektiv / Archa.labSat
20:00
Milo Rau: Mitleid. Die Geschichte des Maschinengewehrs (Compassion. The History of the Machine Gun)
Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz, BerlinSun
20:00
Milo Rau: Mitleid. Die Geschichte des Maschinengewehrs (Compassion. The History of the Machine Gun)
Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz, BerlinSun
20:00
Brass Band
Jiří Havelka / Karel František Tománek / Vosto5Mon
20:00
Brass Band
Jiří Havelka / Karel František Tománek / Vosto5December 2017
Sun
20:00
Na protest aneb Pokoj lidem dobré vůně
Divadlo Husa na provázku / Radomil MatznerMon
20:00
Prince Myshkin is an Idiot: The Resurrection
Divadlo Husa na provázku / F. M. DostoevskyWed
20:00
Divadlo Vizita — Unfinished Trip
Jaroslav Dušek, Pjér la Šé'z, Zdeněk Konopásek, Viktor Zborník. Special guest: Yellow Sisters.Thu
20:00
Divadlo Vizita — Smrk moďoulům!
Jaroslav Dušek, Pjér la Šé'z, Zdeněk Konopásek, Viktor Zborník. Special guest: Dan Bárta.Sat
16:00
Peeping Tom – Moeder (Mother)
Moving Audience, Festspielhaus Hellerau, DresdenMOVING AUDIENCE
Sat
19:00
ENTER SHIKARI + LOWER THAN ATLANTIS & ASTROID BOYS
presented by www.conspiracy.czMon
10:00–13:00
January 2018
Mon
20:00
Wed
20:00
Divadlo Vizita — Perfect Repeat
Jaroslav Dušek, Pjér la Šé'z, Zdeněk Konopásek, Viktor Zborník.Thu
17:30
Music–Memory–Metamorphosis
A Multimedia Production Featuring Viktor Ullmann’s 1944 Theresienstadt Melodrama The Lay of Love and Death of the Cornet Christoph RilkeThu
20:00
Divadlo Vizita — Tenacious Gremlin
Jaroslav Dušek, Pjér la Šé'z, Zdeněk Konopásek, Viktor Zborník.Mon
10:00–13:00
Wed
20:30
Brass Band
Jiří Havelka / Karel František Tománek / Vosto5February 2018
Thu
20:00
Music 2017: What happened?
Pavel Klusák, Aleš Stuchlý and Karel VeselýThu
20:00
Brass Band
Jiří Havelka / Karel František Tománek / Vosto5Sat
20:00
Eva Turnová – A Magical Night in Turnová's Grove
book launch & concertMon
20:00
Michael Gira (USA/ Young God)
(solo off SWANS) + special guest support: GURUN GURUN (CZ)Wed
20:00
Divadlo Vizita — The Slowest Element
Jaroslav Dušek, Pjér la Šé'z, Zdeněk Konopásek, Viktor Zborník.Thu
20:00
Divadlo Vizita — An Equal Patronage
Jaroslav Dušek, Pjér la Šé'z, Zdeněk Konopásek, Viktor Zborník.Fri
20:00
Už jsme doma – Masojez / CANCELLED
Purchased tickets can be returned at the place of purchase. Thank you.Sun
20:00
Sváteční Pop — Poprask I
Milan Cais, Jura Hradil, Ondřej Smeykal, Petr Nikl, VJ Clad and Ondřej EremiášEnglish–friendly
Mon
20:00
Sváteční Pop — Poprask II
Milan Cais, Jura Hradil, Ondřej Smeykal, Petr Nikl, VJ Clad and Ondřej EremiášEnglish–friendly
Thu
18:00
Fidlovačka or Who are We?
Spielraum Kollektiv / Archa.labThu
20:30
VOSTO5 – Pérák 2018
What's in a name. It's actions that count!Sun
18:00
English–friendly
SMALL INVENTORY festival
Mon
10:00
VOSTO5 – Pérák 2018
What's in a name. It's actions that count!Wed
20:00
Brass Band
Jiří Havelka / Karel František Tománek / Vosto5March 2018
Thu
20:00
Brass Band
Jiří Havelka / Karel František Tománek / Vosto5Mon
20:00
Big Bad: Radio Wave Talk Show
Aleš Stuchlý, Dan Řehák, Prokop Vejda and guestsMon
20:00
Tue
20:00
Wed
20:00
Thu
20:00
Fri
10:00
Archa for Schools
Fri
20:00
Sun
18:00
Sahar Rezaei – The Poem of Craving
work in progress / Archa.lab residentArcha.lab
Wed
20:00
Divadlo Vizita — Bird Cockpit
Jaroslav Dušek, Pjér la Šé'z, Zdeněk Konopásek, Viktor Zborník. Special guest: Yellow SistersThu
20:00
Divadlo Vizita — Tearful Valley Gas
Jaroslav Dušek, Pjér la Šé'z, Zdeněk Konopásek, Viktor Zborník.April 2018
Fri
20:00
Submotion Orchestra (UK) @ Mladí ladí jazz 2018
+ support: Zorba že ja BuddhaWed
20:00
Divadlo Vizita — Double April
Jaroslav Dušek, Pjér la Šé'z, Zdeněk Konopásek, Viktor Zborník. Special guest: Yellow SistersThu
20:00
Divadlo Vizita — Ordinary Quadruple Dance
Jaroslav Dušek, Pjér la Šé'z, Zdeněk Konopásek, Viktor Zborník.Mon
20:00
Petr Nikl – Yellow Darkness
a colourful melodrama
work in progress
Tue
20:00
Brass Band
Jiří Havelka / Karel František Tománek / Vosto5Wed
19:00
Pieter De Buysser — The Tip of the Tongue
venue: Prague Planetarium, Královská obora 233, Praha 7English–friendly
Wed
20:00
Brass Band
Jiří Havelka / Karel František Tománek / Vosto5Thu
19:00
Pieter De Buysser — The Tip of the Tongue
venue: Prague Planetarium, Královská obora 233, Praha 7English–friendly
Thu
20:00
Brass Band
Jiří Havelka / Karel František Tománek / Vosto5Thu
20:00
GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR (CAN/ Constellation)
+ support: Kevin DoriaFri
18:00
50 Seasons of the Husa na provázku Theatre
vernissage for an exhibition50 Years of the Husa na provázku Theatre
Fri
19:00
E. T. Earthling
a reading by Eva TurnováFri
20:00
Sat
18:00
A Question of Money
Tomáš Sedláček, Paralelní polis, Renata Kalenská50 Years of the Husa na provázku Theatre
Sat
20:00
Stefano Massini / Dynasty (Lehman Brothers)
Husa na provázku TheatreSun
18:00
Testing Room
Dalibor Buš, Vít Pískala50 Years of the Husa na provázku Theatre
Sun
20:00
Brecht, Bresson, Kosztolányi, Pitínský / Triptych (Mother. Maid. Virgin)
Husa na provázku TheatreMon
18:00
50 Years of the Husa na provázku Theatre
Mon
20:00
Vitka
Husa na provázku Theatre / Kateřina Tučková / Anna PetrželkováMay 2018
Wed
10:00–13:00
Wed
20:00
Big Bad: Radio Wave Talk Show
Aleš Stuchlý, Dan Řehák, Prokop Vejda and guestsFri
09:00
Fidlovačka or Who are We?
Spielraum Kollektiv / Archa.labFri
12:00
Fidlovačka or Who are We?
Spielraum Kollektiv / Archa.labTue
20:00
Brass Band
Jiří Havelka / Karel František Tománek / Vosto5Wed
20:00
Divadlo Vizita — Immortal Mushrooms
Jaroslav Dušek, Pjér la Šé'z, Zdeněk Konopásek, Viktor Zborník.Wed
20:00
Brass Band
Jiří Havelka / Karel František Tománek / Vosto5Thu
10:00–13:00
Thu
18:00
Joana de Brito Silva — A letter to my father or Put a ring on it
work in progress / Archa.lab residentArcha.lab
Thu
20:00
Divadlo Vizita — Secret Mystery
Jaroslav Dušek, Pjér la Šé'z, Zdeněk Konopásek, Viktor Zborník.Sat
11:00–17:00
Frank van de Ven — Strands of Movement and Language
two-day workshopArcha.lab
Sun
11:00–17:00
Frank van de Ven — Strands of Movement and Language
two-day workshopArcha.lab
Sun
20:00
Jan P. Muchow & The Antagonists
support: KallePrague premiere
Wed
18:00
Christa van Rijn — Prague Stories
work in progress / Archa.lab residencyArcha.lab
Location: Přístav 18600
June 2018
Fri
20:00
Wed
20:00
Divadlo Vizita — Lucky Six
Jaroslav Dušek, Pjér la Šé'z, Zdeněk Konopásek, Viktor Zborník.Thu
20:00
Russkies?
Jan Burian Jr., Jaroslav Hrdlička, Jana Svobodová and coll./ Archa TheatreEnglish–friendly
open rehearsal with debate / free admission
Fri
20:00
Russkies?
Jan Burian Jr., Jaroslav Hrdlička, Jana Svobodová and coll./ Archa TheatreEnglish–friendly
open rehearsal with debate / free admission
Sat
20:00
Russkies?
Jan Burian Jr., Jaroslav Hrdlička, Jana Svobodová and coll./ Archa TheatreEnglish–friendly
pre-premiere
Sun
20:00
Cliona O’Connell — Transparent loops, or how strange is it to be an "I"
work in progress / Archa.lab residencyEnglish–friendly
Archa.lab
Thu
15:30
Archa.lab
July 2018
August 2018
Tue
20:00
Russkies?
Jan Burian Jr., Jaroslav Hrdlička, Jana Svobodová and coll./ Archa TheatreEnglish–friendly
premiere
Sat
10:00
Archa Theatre International Summer School 2018
Theatre in Social Context / 25 August – 7 September 2018Archa.lab
September 2018
Fri
18:00
Archa Theatre International Summer School 2018
Theatre in Social Context / 25 August – 7 September 2018Archa.lab
Mon
09:30
VOSTO5 – Pérák 2018
What's in a name. It's actions that count!Fri
20:00
Petr Nikl – Yellow Darkness
a colourful melodrama
premiere
Mon
20:00
Divadlo Vizita — Tireless Creditor
Jaroslav Dušek, Pjér la Šé'z, Zdeněk Konopásek, Viktor Zborník.Wed
20:00
The Tiger Lillies & Berg Orchestra — Bohemian Nights
world premiere / Archa Theatre productionThu
20:00
The Tiger Lillies & Berg Orchestra — Bohemian Nights
world premiere / Archa Theatre productionOctober 2018
Sun
18:00–19:00
SARAH VANHEE (BE) — THE MAKING OF JUSTICE
4+4 DAYS IN MOTIONsmall auditorium
Mon
20:00
JULIAN HETZEL (NL) – THE AUTOMATED SNIPER
4+4 DAYS IN MOTIONWed
20:00
BECKER/LANGGÅRD (NO) – NEW SKIN
4+4 DAYS IN MOTIONFri
19:00
NICOLA GUNN (AU) – PIECE FOR PERSON AND GHETTO BLASTER
4+4 DAYS IN MOTIONSat
19:00
NICOLA GUNN (AU) – PIECE FOR PERSON AND GHETTO BLASTER
4+4 DAYS IN MOTIONWed
20:00
Radio Wave Talkshow: Big Bad October
Aleš Stuchlý, Dan Řehák, Prokop Vejda and guestsThu
20:00
English–friendly
AKCENT FESTIVAL
Fri
11:00–13:00
The Cost of Life – Living Dance Studio
A meeting with the authors and protagonists of REDEnglish–friendly
AKCENT FESTIVAL
Fri
20:00
English–friendly
AKCENT FESTIVAL
Sat
20:00
Ordinary People
Jana Svobodová, Wen Hui and coll. / Archa Theatre / Living Dance StudioEnglish–friendly
AKCENT FESTIVAL
Sun
20:00
Ordinary People
Jana Svobodová, Wen Hui and coll. / Archa Theatre / Living Dance StudioEnglish–friendly
AKCENT FESTIVAL
Mon
20:00
Ordinary People
Jana Svobodová, Wen Hui and coll. / Archa Theatre / Living Dance StudioEnglish–friendly
AKCENT FESTIVAL
November 2018
Sat
12:00–23:00
Akcent Conference on Migration
Encounters, stories, discussions and a concert for the 10th anniversary of the Allstar Refjúdží BandWed
20:00
Russkies?
Jan Burian Jr., Jaroslav Hrdlička, Jana Svobodová and coll./ Archa Theatre#Study
Sun
20:00
Divadlo Vizita — Posvátná čtyřjedinnost
Jaroslav Dušek, Pjér la Šé'z, Zdeněk Konopásek, Viktor Zborník.Mon
20:00
Divadlo Vizita — Tucet spadlých listů
Jaroslav Dušek, Pjér la Šé'z, Zdeněk Konopásek, Viktor Zborník.Fri
19:00
Russkies?
Jan Burian Jr., Jaroslav Hrdlička, Jana Svobodová and coll./ Archa Theatre#Study
Sat
19:00
Russkies?
Jan Burian Jr., Jaroslav Hrdlička, Jana Svobodová and coll./ Archa TheatreEnglish–friendly
Theatre Nights 2018 / Free admission!
Sat
21:00
Petr Nikl – Yellow Darkness
a colourful melodrama
Theatre Nights 2018 / Free admission, book your seat!
Mon
10:00–13:00
AKCENT FESTIVAL