Rock'n'Roll

Translation: Jitka Sloupová
Director: Ivan Rajmont
Stage design: Jozef Ciller
Costumes: Peter Čanecký
Dramaturgy: Lenka Kolihová Havlíková

The world-famous dramatist has written a play about Czechoslovakia! Stoppard’s play alternates between Cambridge and Prague, and spans the period from 1968 to 1990. The author delves here into the world of saloon Marxism in Cambridge, juxtaposing it with the post-August 1968 Normalisation reality in Czechoslovakia. Frequent changes of setting – England and Czechoslovakia – create an interesting perspective, not only on our domestic problems, but also on the development of the Communist ideal in the West. Stoppard, who was born in Zlín, Czechoslovakia, in 1937, has, as it were, projected himself into the fate of the Czech intellectual. As the title indicates, rock music plays a pivotal role in the play. It is not merely an illustration of the times, it is a direct medium of life: the bearer of energy, the subject of debate, common experience, the possibility of self-denomination, a space of freedom. It is remarkable how Stoppard, who did not experience Normalisation first hand, is able to authentically evoke its reality. Rock’n‘Roll embodies signature features of Stoppard’s poeticism: intellectual depth, impartiality and, above all, intelligence and wit.

Appearing:

Jan: David Prachař
Max: Alois Švehlík
Eleanor / Esme (elder): Miluše Šplechtová
Esme (minor) / Alice: Lucie Žáčková
Ferdinand: Jan Hartl
Lenka: Antonie Talacková
Nigel: Ondřej Pavelka
Milan: Vladislav Beneš
Pištec / Stephen: Jan Hájek
Candida: Eva Salzmannová
Gillian / Magda / Deirdre: Pavla Beretová
Investigator: Rudolf Stärz
StB 1: Jaroslav Kára
StB 2 / Waiter: Miroslav Šnajdr