Hi and Mighty: On the Czech Theatre Showcases

Abstract

The Hi PerformanCZ visitor programmes, hosted regularly by the Czech Arts and Theatre Institute since 2018, have invited international theatre professionals, from directors and promoters to critics, to immerse themselves in the variety of theatre on the contemporary Czech stage. Showcased performances, themed in programmes dedicated to theatre for children and young people, puppet theatre, and text-based theatre, among other examples, are accompanied by symposia, meetings with Czech theatre-makers, theatre tours, and museum visits. In this article Mark Brown provides an overview of the Czech showcases from 2018 to 2024, while focusing particularly on four productions: Tomáš Dianiška’s The Magnificent 294 (2020, showcased 2023); Jan Jirků’s Zá-to-pek! (2019, showcased 2022); director Jan Mikulášek’s staging of Thomas Bernhard’s novel Woodcutters (2018, showcased 2022 and 2023); and Brno’s Goose on a String Theatre’s collectively devised piece Smokeout (2022, showcased 2024). These productions markedly represent the diverse strengths of Czech theatre in the twenty-first century.