Dark place that is not that dark

A theatre group or a creative duo Miřenka Čechová and Radim Vizváry function as the main representatives of new pantomime, mimic and physical theatre in the Czech Republic. Such first performances are not easy. On the one hand, they are supposed to bring world tendencies to the Czech Republic, on the other hand, performers must be ready for reaching them, show them in an understandable way, and find topics that would be able to carry their weight and interpret them credibly. Too much responsibility can look like a handicap. In this case, it is visible in the new staging (when we perceive the term “staging” in the general sense of theatre events in theatre space).

Even a conductor of a reputable orchestra has a need to open him/herself to a closer variation of one’s improvisation of harmonic tones by famous composers. Festival audience can sense even greater space of the huge Hala C where tones of Jan Kučera’s piano resound. It is clear from the very first resonance that harmony was stuck in decorated rooms for the majority and here, on the borders of this industrial place, lies something full of freeze, certain emptiness or more of disagreement; tones of resistance and fight penetrate to the essence that shows motives of what takes place visually. The Nultý bod festival introduced a premiere of another piece by Theatro Pantomissimo called Virginie – In a Dark Place.

A woman appears in the sound of loud and a bit scary music; she accepts and refuses herself – that is where an inner conflict is highlighted from the very first moment. It is so suggestive that it apparently looks like a main problem; it gently foreshadows presence of somebody/something else. It is born soon, at first it looks like pregnancy, then a lighting bust and then a person, a son is being born as the main tormentor of an unbalanced mother and all injuries according to Freud. He comes to the stage fully equipped by his innocence, takes out his sundries, manipulates with them in a witty and playful way full of children excitement and he transforms to a boy who has some military naturalness but his games go behind reality and he starts to look monstrous. Gradation to this very moment is pointed in a masterly way but from this point on, a viewer realizes what kind of “psychology” is happening on the stage and s/he expects the moment of a murder of the mother with his/her eyes on a mini-aquarium having in mind that it will be the scenic representation of the place of execution. This really happens, water in it becomes red and the moment of surprise did not come. It is natural because Freud as a topic does not predict another end and any other consequence would mean trivializing or mocking it. But it is possible to avoid many clichés - like aquarium that is the most significant from them - with means of expression or scenic part. It may be a punishment for the fact that there were more directors involved – Petr Boháč and Theatro Pantomissimo. Fortunately, actor’s dispositions were superior to other parts, mainly to the stage where Theatro Pantomissimo was the author of the set and costumes. This aspect supported the dominating acting parts, trying to minimize props or costumes and emphasize their meaning; nevertheless, their choice could be more thoughtful and they should have eliminated notoriously known symbols. Predicative costumes were good solution; they became symbols of white innocence in the first part and the intersection of sensuality outlined by black clothes in the second part. The boy who has grown to a man had trousers pockets full of toys but only the destructive ones remained during the performance. Above-mentioned music was in perfect harmony with movement and it depicted various moods and spirits which is a pro of the staging but it did not dominate and did not draw attention to itself by revolutionary tonal reversions or surprising tuning. We cannot say that about performances of dancers-actors-performers Miřenka Čechová and Radim Vizváry who showed great engagement in their characters and physical preparedness for mastering roles that are more difficult. Both manifestations were really mature – both mimic and physical features and sometimes acrobatic as well. Their motions collaborated with music and they merged into one compact part that was able to follow the story and emotions in it.

Another stop when building up new pantomime but the journey is long.

Written from the premiere 30th October 2008

Translation: Eliška Hulcová