Elfriede Jelinek
THE WORKS
Studio Hrdinů Prague & Mezery, o. s.
THU 18 May — 7.30 pm S-klub
A funicular train accident as a reminder of a time-barred memory. The critical play of the Austrian Nobel prize winner is based on the disaster in Kaprun, Alps where 155 people died in a funicular train fire in 2000. Not far from the disaster scene, a controversial building of one of the biggest water accumulating hydroelectric power plant stands which has claimed lives of 160 workers since 1938 when the construction started. The history of construction of the water “work” in Kaprun – a theme that Jelinek already studied in her older play In the Alps – is for the writer symbol for history of the Austrian hateful attitude towards the foreigners with all its consequences – from victims of Nazism to foreign workers who died because of inhuman work conditions. Reflection of human foolishness tempting us to tame nature with technology and make it part of the tourist industry in audio-visually intoxicating adaptation by Miroslav Bambušek.
directed by Miroslav Bambušek
translated by Jitka Jílková
dramaturgy Jan Horák
stage design and costumes Zuzana Krejzková
music Tomás Vtípil
video Pavel Havrda, Jaroslav Svoboda
advisor and translator, expert on Kaprun Miloslav Man
premiere 19 February 2017
cast
Magdalena Sidonová, Milan Stehlík, Dora Bouzková, Tereza Hofová, Jakub Gottwald, Robert Mikluš, Jan Horváth, Tomáš Vtípil
Kaprun drags a long rat tale of a national myth which is literally built on the skeletons and exhaustion of the dead who were sacrificed to nature, most of them dying for example in avalanches. They died directly or indirectly because of nature while later the skiers in the funicular died because of the technology in nature.
Elfriede Jelinek
The tourists come to a place pregnant with memories, a place of a heavy genius loci. They do not feel it, everything is a great fun for them. The author of the text constantly works with the ways past can come back and leave its marks in present.
Miroslav Bambušek, Mozaika ČRo Vltava 19th February 2017
The production is strong in its visual aspect but also the colourful sound element provided by the pre-filmed loops as well as two live musicians playing on drums, violin, flute and their vocals.
The individual images are creatively using the possibilities of the industrially looking stage, the work with light design, props and bizarre costumes is intricate and magical (…) In accordance with Elfride Jelinek, director Bambušek gradually piles up the hot topic of indifference towards the dark side of history and suffering of others as well as other disturbing motives.
Saša Hrbotický, Aktuálně.cz, 22nd February 2017
Theatre and film director, playwright and screenwriter Miroslav Bambušek (1975) studied philosophy and translation of French and Ancient Greek at Charles University. He views theatre as a means of reflection of political and social themes; he often stages his productions in industrial spaces.
For his cycle called Perzekuce.cz (2004–2006) he was awarded the Theatre Newspaper Award in 2006 (the parts named Porta Apostolorum, Útěcha polní cesty, Horáková x Gottwald, Zóna). For another project The Energy Pathways (2009–2013) he received festival honours at ...příští vlna/next wave..., while the first part of the series Zdař Bůh! (“Michal” Coalmine, Ostrava) was awarded the best Alternative Theatre at the Theatre Newspaper Awards in 2010 (other parts: Voda – Eco-technical Museum Prague; Uran – Bunker in Drnov; Ropa – Winternitz Mills Pardubice). So far the last series called Songs about the Land was opened by the performance Prometheus (2016) at the former paper mill in Vrané nad Vltavou.
Bambušek often works with composer Petr Kofroň: a film Jan Hus – A Mass for Three Dead Men, 2009); production Don’t Touch My Fidel, Roxy/NoD, 2007), Fagots’ Cross, Rainald Goetz’s Fortress (MeetFactory, 2012 and 2013), Cantos (Divadlo Na zábradlí, 2012), etc. Their last cooperation was Hába's opera The New Earth at the National Theatre (2014).
At Studio Hrdinů he produced a music and visual series called Wasteland about the poet and underground legend Pavel Zajíček and DG 307.