The topic of this year’s edition – sustain-long-ability – had been chosen before the pandemic crisis as a response to the growing interest in ecology and the pressure on the sustainability of life on Earth. The ecological topics in artistic production and theatre operation have been accompanied by existential topics. The programmes of the theatres that must be closed for the public now feature virtual tours, live streams, interactive education plays for children and adults.

This year’s edition will also feature the virtual videoconference Theatre Has and Will Be Here (For the Whole Day Today), which will be streamed from the studio located at the Arts and Theatre Institute that has coordinated the Theatre Night since 2013. The 8-hour-long programme with live streams and pre-recorded shows will virtually connect 28 theatres from 9 towns. The Night will be hosted by Ondřej Cihlář, Kateřina Císařová, a Sára Affašová. The life virtual conference will take place from 1 to 9 p.m. “The viewers will have a chance to watch interviews with artists, virtual guided tours of exhibitions, interactive guided tours in theatres, a quiz, trailers from performances, peeks into theatre rehearsals, discussions, dramaturgic introductions, a podcast for the adults, as well as a fairy tale and workshop for children. The conference will also offer tips for other theatres participating in this year’s Theatre Night, so the viewers will have a lot to choose from,” says Martina Pecková Černá from the ATI.

Other theatres have prepared interesting programmes as well – the Naïve Theatre Liberec has planned the special virtual night walk through the theatre. The South Bohemian Theatre will screen the documentary from the summer tour on chateaux and towns in South Bohemia. Kladno Theatre will broadcast the recording of the performance The Shadow of a Fern inspired by Josef Čapek’s balladic novella. The Orfeus Theatre will stage Anthony Neilson’s The Big Lie.

The following theatres will join the virtual conference: Říše loutek Theatre, Drak Theatre, Puppets without Borders, Theatre Without the Balustrade, Chemical Theatre, RockOpera Praha, PONEC – Theatre for Dance, Theatre D21, Theatre Orfeus, ALTA Studio, Moravian Theatre Olomouc, KD Mlejn, Bolek Polívka Theatre, Oskar Nedbal Theatre Tábor, Alfa Theatre, V Dlouhé Theatre, National Theatre Prague, Chamber Stage Aréna, Švandovo Theatre at Smíchov, Theatre on the Balustrade, Kámen Theatre, Culture Facility Valašské Meziříčí, Municipal Theatre Zlín, Tramtárie Theatre, DISK Theatre, MeetFactory Theatre, Lampion Theatre, and Arts and Theatre Institute.

About the Theatre Night

The Theatre Night is part of the international project European Theatre Night, which started in Croatia in 2008 by Noc Kazališta. The idea of a shared theatre holiday has spread among more than ten European countries. Last year there were 40 thousand visitors in 109 participating institutions from 30 towns in the Czech Republic. Prague saw 52 participating theatres and companies. The Czech Theatre Night is thus the biggest project of the European Theatre Night. The Theatre Night will take place in 6 European countries this year: the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Bosna and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Bulgaria.

The online videoconference Theatre Has and Will Be Here (For the Whole Day Today): 21 November from 1 to 9 p.m.: https://youtu.be/tyDqNgF5BMA

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