Returning to Reims (via Olomouc)

How hard is it to grow up as a working-class, art-loving gay man in a provincial town? How does questioning the leading role of elites relate to the surge in right-wing extremism? Returning to Reims (via Olomouc) combines personal reflections on coming of age and the exclusivity of education in a stylised “discussion with a European intellectual megastar.” Loosely inspired by a book by Didier Eribon, one of the most prominent contemporary French intellectuals, the production offers a multilayered reflection on themes that continue to resonate with us – class identity, sexuality and the personal journey toward freedom – while remaining unafraid to embrace humour and (self)irony.

Director Adam Svozil, a two-time recipient of the Mark Ravenhill Award, transforms a theoretical essay into a staged discussion, where the book’s author is interviewed by Karli, a cheerful “cultural worker,” who asks questions on your behalf.

Reflections on queer identity, the current distrust of intellectual and political elites and the role of the working and middle classes intertwine with personally inflected memories of growing up in Reims – and also in Olomouc, home to both the director and his lived experience.

About the company

Divadlo nacucky! is a professional independent theatre with contemporary dramaturgy. Silvia Vollman has served as the theatre’s artistic director since its relocation to Dolní náměstí, Olomouc, in 2017. The specific selection of production teams and personalities (Michal Hába, Šimon Spišák, Júlia Rázusová, Adam Svozil, Lucie Ferenzová, Tomáš Loužný, Petr Erbes and Boris Jedinák, among others) involved in the creative process shapes the theatre’s distinctive style, which tends towards experimentation and the exploration of new means of communication. Divadlo nacucky! offers a reflection on current social issues such as the polarisation of society, the influence of media and social networks, feminism, the exploitation of labour, and environmental grief. In addition to repertoire productions, the theatre holds creative workshops, talks and Cirkuzkus, a summer festival of new circus. The cultural centre also includes Café nacucky! and Gallery XY.