Divadelní revue (Czech Theatre Review) 2018 · n^o 2

vol. 29 · august 2018 · n^o 2

Summary

The second issue of 2018s Theatre Review brings forward two essays by Daniela Čadková and Alena Sarkissian. Daniela Čadková’s article “Theer’s Faëthón and its Production History” discusses various staging possibilities of Otakar Theer’s poetic drama Faëthon which secondary literature considers a book drama. However, there were ten Czech productions that sought to adapt a difficult mythological tragedy: five were professional productions (1917 Prague National Theatre, 1922 Vinohrady Theatre, 1928 Brno National Theatre, 1938 The National Theatre in South Bohemia, 1944 Olomouc Theatre), four amateur (1920 Nymburk, 1930 Písek, 1944 Police nad Metují, 1970 Prague Theatre on the Fringe) and two radio productions (1930 and 1962). Moreover, some of the productions were connected with significant Czech theatre directors (J. Kvapil, J. Stejskal, M. Jareš, Z. Potužíl) and stage designers (J. Wenig, O. Šimáček). In her analysis “John Chrysostom’s Contagious Theatre: Introduction to Homily” Alena Sarkissian focuses on John Chrysostom’s homily Contra ludos et theatra and sets it both in the context of Chrysostom’s work and also in the context of the period discussions about theatre. It clarifies the basic arguments by which the preacher criticizes theatre as idolatry, but also draws attention to the less obvious inspiration from Plato’s teaching on mimesis: Chrysostom considers theatre as a fake mimesis that is opposite to the true replication of the Eucharist, which he calls “the uncreated spiritual theatre” (aplaston theatron pneumatikon). He also elaborates on the Platonic concept of passions and employs literary images known from Plato’s writings. He portrays theatre as a disease transmitted among spectators in a way described in Plato’s Ion, applying the so-called “magnet” theory of perception, the most widespread perception theory throughout the antique era. Sarkissian accompanies the article with her Czech translation of Chrystom’s homily. The inheritance of Czech theatre historian and an author of the first comprehensive Czech theatre history book Jan Vondráček (1882–1953), acquired by the Theatre Department of the National Museum in 1984, includes over two thousand collection items, unique original sources “borrowed” during his research in various archives, museums and libraries. The team of researchers who work on the project Journey Towards Theatre present the first complex report on this corpus aptly titled “Treasures of Jan Vondráček’s Inheritance”. The researchers illustrate a potential of extant documents on selected examples: Jesuit periochaes (a kind of early theatre programs with short summaries of the plays and lists of actors), theatre announcements of touring companies, or selected unique old prints that preceded theatre signboards and programs, as well as the 19th-century, yet unknown theatre signboards. The article accompanies an edition of Vondráček’s unpublished preface to his post-war History of Czech Theater. The issue contains an extensive interview with the Olomouc-based theatre historian and educator Jiří Štefanides. In this issue, we publish Pavel Janoušek’s thorough review of the publication with an attractive title Czech Drama and the Czech Hero written by Jaroslav Vostrý and Zuzana Sílová. Alena Sarkissian assesses Walker White’s book on the Byzantine Orthodox ritual, with a particular attention to the text Service of the Furnace.

analyses & documents

Daniela Čadková
Theer's Faëthón and its Production History [peer-reviewed article]

Appendix
Venouš Huňáček’s (formerly Dolejš) Original Reports. National Theatre. Faethon, or Who Loves to Roam May Lose His Home. Tragic Poem in Three Acts by Ot. Theer [1917] [document]

Alena Sarkissian
John Chrysostom's Contagious Theatre: Introduction to Homily [peer-reviewed article]

John Chrysostom
Against those who have abandoned the church and deserted it for hippodromes and theatres [document]

Magdaléna Jacková, Alena Jakubcová, Jitka Ludvová and Markéta Trávníčková
Treasures of Jan Vondráček’s Inheritance [essay]

Appendix A
Jan Vondráček’s Unpublished Preface to Post-war History of Czech Theatre [document]

Appendix B
Adolescens Bohema Nobilitas calici renuncians (Old-Town Jesuit College, Klementinum 1758), sample of several acts (translated into Czech) [document]

interview

with theatre scholar and pedagogue Jiří Štefanides Happy Maneuvers in the Inexorable Time of Theatre (Martin Bernátek and Tatjana Lazorčáková)

reviews

Alena Sarkissian
Byzantine Service of the Furnace as a Liturgical Scene
(Andrew Walker White: Performing Orthodox Ritual in Byzantium) [review]

Pavel Janoušek
Search for a (proper) Czech Hero (Jaroslav Vostrý – Zuzana Sílová: České drama a český hrdina) [review]

new book releases (June—September 2018)

Resumes of peer-reviewed articles

Daniela Čadková
Theer's Faëthón and its Production History
The article discusses various staging possibilities of Otakar Theer's poetic drama Faëthon which secondary literature considers a book drama. However, there were eleven Czech productions that sought to adapt a difficult mythological tragedy: five were professional productions (1917 Prague National Theatre, 1922 Vinohrady Theatre, 1928 Brno National Theatre, 1938 The National Theatre in South Bohemia, 1944 Olomouc Theatre), four amateur (1920 Nymburk, 1930 Písek, 1944 Police nad Metují, 1970 Prague Theatre on the Fringe) and two radio productions (1930 and 1962). Moreover, some of the productions were connected with significant Czech theatre directors (J. Kvapil, J. Stejskal, M. Jareš, Z. Potužil) and stage designers (J. Wenig, O. Šimáček).
Contact: Daniela Čadková | Centre for Classical Studies at the Institute of Philosophy, CAS, Czech Republic | cadkova[at]ics.cas.cz

Alena Sarkissian
John Chrysostom's Contagious Theatre: Introduction to Homily
The article focuses on John Chrysostom's homily Contra ludos et theatra and sets it both in the context of Chrysostom's work and also in the context of the period discussions about theatre. It clarifies the basic arguments by which the preacher criticizes theatre as idolatry, but also draws attention to the less obvious inspiration from Plato's teaching on mimesis: Chrysostom considers theatre as a fake mimesis that is opposite to the true replication of the Eucharist, which he calls “the uncreated spiritual theatre” (aplaston theatron pneumatikon). He also elaborates on the Platonic concept of passions and employs literary images known from Plato's writings. He portrays theatre as a disease transmitted among spectators in a way described in Plato's Ion, applying the so-called “magnet” theory of perception, the most widespread perception theory throughout the antique era.
Contact: Alena Sarkissian | Centre for Classical Studies at the Institute of Philosophy, CAS, Czech Republic | sarkissian[at]ics.cas.cz