Mourning Becomes Electra

Set in the sumptuous residence of the Mannon family towards the end of the American Civil War, a mother and daughter impatiently await the return of the male members of the family. While the daughter is full of hope, the mother is fearful. What kind of future can the family expect after such a long separation? The father and son are not at ease either. Hidden passions smoulder in the estranged atmosphere under the roof of the ostentatious manor house and threaten the impending moment of reunion. Each family member longs to take their destiny into their own hands. Who will be the first to do so and at what cost?

In his play, Mourning Becomes Electra, Eugene O’Neill (1888 –1953), one of the most important twentieth-century American playwrights and recipient of the 1936 Nobel Prize for Literature, retells a classic tragedy to expose the indomitable human desire for love that can easily turn into hatred and a craving for vengeance. This family tragedy is also a universal account of the complexity of relationships, namely those between parents and children, which often verge on the edge of a guilty conscience for fear of repeating mistakes. In his most famous play, O’Neill shows us that while the ancient world is distant in time, it is anything but distant when it comes to fundamental human emotions.

The NTB Drama company is both a traditional and modern European ensemble with an important role in the Czech cultural scene. Its remarkable tradition dates back to the late 19th century and the height of the National Revival, when the first Czech-language theatres were established. Since then, it has hosted some of the leading lights of Czech and European theatre, such as Jiří Mahen, Emil František Burian, Jindřich Honzl, Miloš Hynšt, Alois Hajda, Bořivoj Srba, Ludvík Kundera, Zdenek Kaloč and Evald Schorm. Its theatrical productions of the 1960s became legendary for their Brechtian style of epic theatre. Today, NTB Drama has two valuable, historic buildings at its disposal – the Mahen Theatre and the Reduta Theatre – and offers an artistic response to contemporary topics, with an emphasis on craftsmanship and stylistic variety.