Divadelní revue (Czech Theatre Review) 2015 · no 1
vol. 26 · Juin 2015 · no 1Summary
The first issue of 2015’s Theatre Review brings forward three separate sections. The first thematic bloc focuses on the topics related to the set design and theatre architecture. Vojtěch Poláček’s essay “Temple, Palace, Stage. Function and Symbolism of Monarchical Boxes and Their Short-Term Decoration with an Accent to the Austro-Hungarian Region” draws attention to the historical development of monarchical theatre boxes in the context of parallel achievements in the area of sacral and resident architecture. The pompous representation of boxes, embedded in their architecture, short-term decoration and modes of their utilization, are considered a part of state festivity, for which the late 19th century Habsburg Empire provided fertile ground. In the nationally heterogeneous empire publicly worshipped monarch symbolized a consensually accepted agent of common identity. The essay also discusses developments after 1918 and observes reasons for an unusual preservation of rules and rituals linked with the utilization of monarchical box in the Prague National Theatre. In her essay “‘Hullabaloo in Boston’: Production of the Opera Intoleranzza 1960 as a New Theatre Form for the Stage of Cold War,” Barbora Příhodová discusses Josef Svoboda’s American debut, represented by his participation in Sarah Caldwell’s 1965 stage adaptation of Luigi Nono’s experimental political opera Intoleranzza 1960, produced by the Opera Company of Boston. Based on the most developed projection technology of the time, the specific visual concept of the production of Intoleranzza 1960 introduced a new stage form, fundamentally distinct from regular opera productions. Its preparation and presentation brought together two different artistic traditions, cultural environments and operational, as well as economic theatre systems. It was this confrontation due to which the stage experiment could come true. Věra Velemanová looks at the brief post-war cooperation of an experienced set designer František Tröster with an emerging stage director Alfréd Radok. Their first two productions opened at the Theatre of 5th May – The Merry Widow?, a provocative adaptation of Franz Lehar’s operetta, which could be classified as Radok and Tröster’s “hommage à art nouveau”, and rather expressionistic production of Maxim Gorky’s Vassa Zheleznova. Their last theatre collaboration was a student collage Whose Loyal to God, King, Homeland, based on the work of Karel Havlíček Borovský. Here they served as instructors and supervisors and the final work reflected their artistic background: stage methods of pre-war theatre avant-garde, namely E. F. Burian’s productions at his “D” Theatre. The paper discusses the importance of these three productions in the context of theatre work of both artists, as well as in the wider context of Czech theatre. The second larger section of this issue consists of selected papers presented at the Prague international conference Staging Havel: Stage Adaptations, Translations, Reception, which took place between May 15–18 2014 at the Faculty of Arts, Charles University Prague. Veronika Ambros’ paper analyzes Václav Havel’s The Garden Party in the perspective of poetics of absence; Lenka Jungmannová’s contribution examines intertextuality of Havel’s plays, while applying Gérard Genet taxonomy; Vladimír Just assesses Czech and Slovak productions of V. Havel’s last play Leaving; Anna Freimanová’s personal testimony draws attention to the underground activities of Andrej Krob’s Divadlo na tahu. The issue includes a special section that consists of translations of two essays: Thomas Postlewait’s historiographical treatise in which the American historian explores political contexts related to the 1624 production of Thomas Middleton’s anti-Spanish play A Game at Chess, and Yuri Lotman’s 1989 essay “Language of Theatre”. The issue contains an interview with the Czech theatre scholar and educator Ladislava Petišková, as well as four reviews of recently published books and a report on the set design collections of Arts and Theatre Institute. The last section of documents includes two contributions: Vlasta Koubská reveals the background of Jindřich Honzl and František Muzika’s Brno productions Androcles and Lion and Donogoo Tonka, while presenting correspondence between the two artists; Vít Pokorný introduces the Czech set designer and functionary Valtr Meluzín.
set design and theatre architecture
Vojtěch PoláčekTemple, Palace, Stage. Function and Symbolism of Monarchical Boxes and Their Short-Term Decoration with an Accent to the Austro-Hungarian Region [article]
Barbora Příhodová
“Hullabaloo in Boston”: Production of the Opera Intoleranzza 1960 as a New Theatre Form for the Stage of Cold War [article]
Věra Velemanová
Triple, Rather Brief Encounters. František Tröster and Alfréd Radok [article]
essays
Thomas PostlewaitTheater Events and Their Political Contexts: A Problem in the Writing of Theater History [essay]
Yuri Lotman
Language of Theatre [essay]
havel on stage
Martin PšeničkaStaging Havel: Stage Adaptations, Translations, Reception
Veronika Ambros
Poetics of Absence in Václav Havel’s The Garden Party [conference paper]
Lenka Jungmannová
Václav Havel’s Playwriting and Transtextuality [conference paper]
Vladimír Just
Who is Vilém Rieger? (An Attempt at the Typology of Havel’s Protagonist) [conference paper]
Anna Freimanová
Un-normalized Theatre. Andrej Krob’s Stage Adaptations of Václav Havel’s Plays [conference paper]
Interview
Theatre historian, theorists and reviewer should be a person who dynamically reacts to the current issues. Interview with the theatre scholar Ladislava Petišková (Martin Pšenička & Honza Petružela)reviews
Vojtěch PoláčekFour Monographs on Set Design: Hrska – Svoboda – Muzika – Melena [review]
Jan Šotkovský
Three Books on Acting [review]
Martin Bernátek
On Theatre Architecture [review]
Vladimír Just
Prague Twice and Unsound (Critical Notes on Two Award-winning Books on Prague)[review]
reports
Denisa ŠťastnáSet Design Collection and Other Arts and Theatre Institute Resources [report]
new book releases (January—May 2015)
documents
Vlasta KoubskáAbout Brno productions of Androcles and Lion and Donogoo Tonka – from Jindřich Honzl and František Muzika’s Correspondence [document]
Vít Pokorný
Valtr Meluzin – Successful Functionary and Unsuccessful Set Designer [document]
Resumes of peer-reviewed articles
Vojtěch PoláčekTemple, Palace, Stage. Function and Symbolism of Monarchical Boxes and Their Short-Term Decoration with an Accent to the Austro-Hungarian Region [article]
The essay draws attention to the historical development of monarchical theatre boxes in the context of parallel achievements in the area of sacral and resident architecture. The box is defined as a typological hybrid between a temple (aedicule), palace (balcony), and stage (proscenium arch, short-term decoration, public presentation). The paper focuses on the boxes in the Austro-Hungarian theatres. The pompous representation of boxes, embedded in their architecture, short-term decoration and modes of their utilization, are considered a part of state festivity, for which the late 19th century Habsburg Empire provided fertile ground. In the nationally heterogeneous empire publicly worshipped monarch symbolized a consensually accepted agent of common identity. The essay also discusses developments after 1918 and observes reasons for an unusual preservation of rules and rituals linked with the utilization of monarchical box in the Prague National Theatre.
Barbora Příhodová
“Hullabaloo in Boston”: Production of the Opera Intoleranzza 1960 as a New Theatre Form for the Stage of Cold War [article]
Josef Svoboda’s American debut represents his participation in Sarah Caldwell’s 1965 stage adaptation of Luigi Nono’s experimental political opera Intoleranzza 1960, produced by the Opera Company of Boston. Based on the most developed projection technology of the time, the specific visual concept of the production of Intoleranzza 1960 introduced a new stage form, fundamentally distinct from regular opera productions. Its preparation and presentation brought together two different artistic traditions, cultural environments and operational, as well as economic theatre systems. It was this confrontation due to which the stage experiment could come true. The first part of the paper describes the genesis of Boston Intoleranzza 1960. The second part seeks to grasp the concept and composition of the production and analyze an intention of producers, connected with the first employment of life TV broadcasting in the theatre production.
Věra Velemanová
Triple, Rather Brief Encounters. František Tröster and Alfréd Radok [article]
After the World War II, an experienced set designer František Tröster encountered an emerging theatre director Alfréd Radok. Their first two productions opened at the Theatre of 5th May – The Merry Widow?, a provocative adaptation of Franz Lehar’s operetta, which could be classified as Radok and Tröster’s “hommage à art nouveau”, and rather expressionistic production of Maxim Gorky’s Vassa Zheleznova. Their last theatre collaboration was a student collage Whose Loyal to God, King, Homeland, based on the work of Karel Havlíček Borovský. Here they served as instructors and supervisors and the final work reflected their artistic background: stage methods of pre-war theatre avant-garde, namely E. F. Burian’s productions at his “D” Theatre. The paper discusses the importance of these three productions in the context of theatre work of both artists, as well as in the wider context of Czech theatre.