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It has been a tradition that the festival bears a motto. The one for the year 2018, which is also the 100th anniversary of Czech statehood, is the concept “Freedom?!”. Martin Glaser, the director of the festival, provides more details about how they have chosen the motto: “Several months ago, when we started to prepare the festival, we thought ahead because it is clear now that the topic of the festival – Freedom?! – will resonate in the society today. We are not indifferent to what is happening in neighboring countries, such as Poland and Hungary, where the freedom of artistic expression is very limited.” The main program of the festival, too, focuses on production from the two countries: Maladype Szíhnáz, the outstanding independent theatre from Budapest, will stage its version of the world-famous drama of Richard III.
Another significant festival line will be the production by one of the biggest theatre instigators – director Oliver Frljić. Dramaturges have selected his Polish production of The Curse (Powszechny Teatr) and the Slovenian feature of Our Violence, Your Violence (Mladinsko Gledališče).
Brothers Forman’s Theatre’s production of Deadtown ranks among the most attractive pieces at the festival. A thrilling story full of illusions and technical miracles takes places in an original western village with chaste girls, beautiful dancers, dreaded gunmen, and a bar full of whiskey.
The Slovak National Theatre traditionally participates in the festival with its production of The Elites, which were written by Czech director Jiří Havelka particularly for this theatre with Emília Vášáryová and Táňa Pauhofová in the lead roles. The Aréna Chamber Scene from the Czech Republic, which has received many awards, will bring Václav Havel’s play Memorandum, which is becoming more and more topical. The Drama Studio from Ústí nad Labem will not come to Brno for the first time, they will stage the production of Homo Faber. Martin Finger, who plays the lead role of Walter Faber, is nominated for the Thalia award. Eva Salzmannová aspires to receive the same award as she plays in Meetfactory’s production Spill Simmer Falter Wither.
The Polárka Theatre is the new associate of the festival. Its artistic director Jan Cimr was happy to say that “The line of the performances for children at the festival is distinct every year. This year, audiences can look forward to family performances, such as Look, the World! by Minor Theatre or Honey Queen by the DRAK Theatre as well as performances for the youngest audiences in the 0+ category. We will bring Damúza’s Batosnění or Batolárium from the Slovak Puppet Theatre at the Crossroads.”
Theatre World has re-established cooperation with outstanding Czech festivals – Meeting Brno and Tanec Praha. Motion and dance production take up the majority of the festival program. Dance company Dekkadancers will bring their Last Supper, the audiences will also have a chance to see award-winning motion productions of Guide and Švihla. It is also the first time the original production for the Theatre World Brno festival has been created. “The leading Czech choreographer Jiří Bartovanec, actors from the National Theatre Brno and Goose on the String theatre are preparing the project of The Contour, which is going to be created for the Mozart Hall in the Reduta Theatre. The topic will be the above-mentioned motto of Freedom?!. I am also happy to be able to participate in Miřenka Čechová’s unique 24-hour-long dance project Momentum, which can make viewers think about everyday hastiness of life,” says Lucie Němečková, the dramaturge of the National Theatre Brno.
Tickets for the festival can already be purchased in the box offices of the National Theatre Brno, Municipal Theatre Brno, Centre for Experimental Theatre, and Polárka Theatre, or online on the website www.divadelnisvet.cz with a full program. Updated information can be found at facebook/divadelnisvet.
