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Description
The project follows the former "The Rainstick" project supported by the EEA Grants (2021 to 2023).
The project core consists in creating and performing a new multidisciplinary theatre piece that will raise questions associated with the notions of “life in full” and “messiah” against the background of today’s social and climatic changes. The project will investigate diverse views of the indicated notions in Czechia and Norway.
The project will increase the awareness of questions of the following types: What is life in full? How to live in full against the background of social and climatic changes? Who is or who can be a contemporary messiah?
In addition, the project will reflect, by means of multidisciplinary theatre, a work of the most recent Czech literature. It will deliver new viewpoints on the novel by Martin Vopěnka “My Brother the Messiah”.
The project will also provide for sharing of experience between Czech and Norwegian partners in art criticism, including a seminar with 3 theatre critics and journalists aiming at critical discussion and communication with the audience.
The Project will primarily address general public and artists, secondarily children and youth, young adults (18-29 years) and Russian-speaking minority.
Within the project, we will
-create a new interdisciplinary theatre piece,
-organize 13 public performances. In one performance, members of the Russian-speaking minority will actively take part.
-organize 5 public discussions and 2 workshops.
-organize 1 seminar on arts criticism.
-provide publicity for project events. Redefine our communication strategy.
We are in contact with Henrik Sand Dagfinrud, Program Manager for “Bodø–European Capital of Culture 2024“, where we would like to present the new piece together with our Norwegian partners, if we are invited from the part of the festival and if no security issues (e.g. due to pandemic) arise.
Summary of project results
A new multidisciplinary theatre piece was created that focused on questions related to the notions of “life in full” and “messiah” on the background of today’s social changes. The piece reflects a work of the most recent Czech literature. The Norwegian partners and a young people from the Russian and Ukrainian minority were involved. A challenge consisted in carrying out the project core activities within a short time: 13 performances with complementary programmes during 8 calendar months.
During the initial project phase, a script for the piece My Brother the Messiah was drafted inspired by the book by Martin Vopěnka. Then the actors in Divadlo Kámen created the piece. The Norwegian partners Haugen Productions shot video sequences to be subsequently incorporated into every public performance of the piece. The piece was premiered on 15 June 2023 and the project included 13 performances, 5 public discussions, 2 workshops and 1 critical seminar. On 17 October 2023, the event “Norwegian Evening” took place, including an online transmission of the performance and an online discussion with the Norwegian partners.
The project succeeded in achieving all the goals according to the project definition. The project addressed hundreds of people, who took part both in a theatre that poses questions and in associated discussions. Tens of theatre professionals and participants in arts criticism had an opportunity to be inspired in discussions and workshops. During the project, artistic interrelationships were strengthened that are promising also for future, most importantly between Divadlo Kámen and Haugen Produksjoner.
Summary of bilateral results
The main partner of the project - the Haugen sisters - created a new production together with the project promoter. One of the main ideas of the project, which is to compare the perception of "messiah" and "full life" in Prague and the Arctic region of Norway, would not have been possible without the partner. With the Haugen sisters, the previous project "Rain Stick" was done in the past; we have a great understanding of each other artistically and in terms of production, and with the new project we have deepened our mutual understanding and connection. We confirmed that we want to work together in the future. We have found that it is important to not only create the production together (each in their own city, with remote communication), but also to physically perform it together. This project was not originally intended to be performed together (the partners created a video that became part of the production), and we missed the physical meeting. Fortunately, the joint performance will take place in the autumn of 2024 as part of the Bilateral Call of the Culture Programme funded by EEA Grants 2014-2021.