Festivals Zero Point and Behind the Door
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On 15 July 2013 two international theatre festivals opened in Prague simultaneously – Zero Point International Festival and Behind the Door Street Theatre Festival. Both bring top performers to Prague and above all a new look at the theatre.The programme of Zero Point, now in its sixth year, focuses on physical and dance theatre and is put together by people working in this genre in the Czech Republic, namely, artists from the Spitfire Company. Their aim is present and share work in a contrastive light by aesthetically allied domestic and foreign companies and offer audiences an attractive programme to enjoy in the quiet days of summer. The festival’s artistic director, Petr Boháč makes the following suggestion: “The setting of physical theatre is pure and calm, which tends to make the elements of the theatre idiom that we use all the more subtle – or all the more brutal. Don’t be shy about letting your perception run wild at Zero Point so that it can move forward and recognise the symbols, images, and emotions we express through movement.” During the festival audiences at Theatre in Celetná Street were able to try out a new way of viewing the theatre at a performance of La Loba by Czech dancer Lenka Vagnerová, or view an intimate docu-drama by Anna Peschke (D) titled Ilsas Garten.
Behind the Door, in its fifth year, is devoted to street theatre. This year it took place in the very heart of Prague, on Wenceslas square, appealing thus both to the foreign tourists and the inhabitants of Prague who cross paths in this vibrant location. ‘Street performance is not just what you see before you on 150-square-metre area. The backdrop is the city, some of the roles are played by viewers, either people watching or walking by, or by an unexpected shadow cast on a building. But if a viewer accepts all the factors that a public space like a street has to offer, street theatre will reward them with a complex experience. And above all – a more intense perception of space, the city, and society will open up. Street theatre is the freest form of theatre that exists – for artists and audiences,” says the festival’s organiser Jakub Vedral, describing the atmosphere of the international event. Besides Czech artists specialising ‘in the public space’, such as V.O.S.A Theatre and Squadra Sua, the festival also featured performances by foreign artists – e.g. Teatro Tatro from Slovenia, Teatro en Vel from Italy, and others.
The festivals were both accompanied by special projects. There was an international workshop in physical theatre “Performing Arts for the Future”, the results of which were presented to audiences on 20 July 2013 at Divus Vltavská. And there was a public performance of Take Care of Your Square on 15 July. The Czech-German project Vindobona Express brought German family work to the Czech Republic. The participation of foreign companies was significantly supported by the Arts and Theatre Institute. The complete programmes of the festivals can be found at: www.zadvermi.cz and www.nultybod.cz Source: Jana Návratová at Czechdance.info