Wonderland

Wonderland is an original production reflecting on the reality of the internet age and the phenomenon of experiencing presence through “connection” and the intensive use of smartphones. A particular kind of friendship and addiction. The only performer on stage, Sára Arnstein playfully zooms on herself from different angles through movement, text and work with empty space. A person of today’s society, she often finds herself in the vicious loop of impulses and stimuli that pulsate between us and the devices we carry in a regular rhythm, day and night. This reality then easily becomes a habit that an individual resorts to, out of necessity, practical reasons, desire, fun, boredom or inertia, unconsciously. What did I really want? What do I need? Can it be traced or figured out? In today’s fast-paced life, how much effort do we have to expend to consciously stop for a moment and devote ourselves to ________ (fill in the blank as you wish)? Imagine Wonderland as a setting, a state of mind.

About the company

The Ufftenživot ensemble has been active on the contemporary independent theatre scene since 2015, creating unique projects at the intersection of physical theatre, performance, slam poetry and puppet theatre. Ufftenživot’s productions are regularly presented in Prague, at regional venues in the Czech Republic and at international festivals. With 9 original performances to their credit over almost a decade of existence, they were nominated for the 2020 Czech Theatre DNA Award for their activities and unique approach to the audience. IN 2022, they were nominated again for their podcast. In 2022, Lucia Kašiarová was nominated for the Thalia Award for her performance in the production Mnohodinec, on which the ensemble collaborated dramaturgically and as a producer. Ufftenživot’s approach combines disciplines, seeks new means of scenic expression and pushes the boundaries of theatre as such. Each creative process begins with a theme, with the form of the resulting production gradually crystallizing through research, improvisation and experimentation. In addition to the combined means of expression, the work is characterised by an emphasis on the presence of the viewer and the performer, on their mutual relationships here and now and the naked simplicity of the message.