Summer Shakespeare Festival: on many stages, with many titles

The Summer Shakespeare Festival – the oldest and biggest open-air theatre festival in Czech Republic – was at the beginning of 90s originally initiated by President VÁCLAV HAVEL. In 2008, it is certain that the programme of the Shakespeare Summer Festival will continue to be a major cultural event in the Czech Republic, having long since surpassed its significance as a mere summer showcase of theatre.

This original theatre project of Shakespeare plays will be again presented under the open sky with the ancient backdrops of CASTLES of PRAGUE, BRNO and BRATISLAVA. In 2008 the festival expand to stage of OSTRAVA and KOŠICE, performance also can be seen at the second Prague scene at the colourful court of Lichtenstein Palace on Malostranské náměstí no.13 (Lesser Town Square no. 13) located just across the street from the St. Nicholas Cathedral right in the heart of Old Prague.

Although the productions are not performed in their original language, many foreign spectators continue to flock to see the performances. This is primarily because of the strong acting performances, the famous plays themselves and the atmosphere of the ancient castles as a scenic backdrop of the productions.

The new agenda in this year’s Summer Shakespeare Festival line up is early Shakespeare´s comedy THE COMEDY OF ERRORS directed by reputable stage director Ivan Rajmont, who mostly direct the plays in prague´s National Theatre. First run in Prague also will have A MIDSUMMER NIGHT´S DREAM, the magic bedtime story for adults about pitfall of love, prepared as bilingual, Czech-Slovak performance last year in Bratislava with Oldřich Vízner (Oberon) and Táňa Paulhofová (Puk). We also will see the successful production of OTHELLO in reappearance opening with new cast of Jago. The production is considered a “post-fairytale” play with suspenseful situations and amazing performances.

This year will rerun THE TEMPEST with trio excellent Slovak showmen in the role of the noble Prospero (alternate Dušan Jamrich, Emil Horváth and Martin Huba) and shining Jan Tříska in the role of slave Kaliban: alone because of Tříska – the legend of Czech theatre, who emigrated to USA in 70´s played tens of roles directed by world directors and who excelled in the Summer Shakespeare Festival in 2002 and 2003 with the performance of King Lear, is The Tempest worth to see….

The Summer Shakespeare Festival once again welcomes the production of comedy AS YOU LIKE IT, prepared in Bratislava under the direction of famous Slovak director Emil Horvath. Here we can anticipate the exceptional acting talent of leading personalities from both the Czech and Slovak Republics: Marián Labuda, Ladislav Hampl, Martin Dejdar, the Norisová sisters and Miroslav Noga. And it may not be missing the THE MERCHANT OF VENICE with the great acting talent of famous Czech theatre performer Bolek Polívka in the role of the rich Jew Shylock and his daughter Anna Polívková as Jessica.

But this is not all yet: the demanding Prague´s audience can take the pleasure of few exclusive performance of MACBETH directed by Martin Huba in September 2008, theis performance will be presented in reproduction by reputable Divadlo Na Provázku (Theatr on Cord) from Brno – they say we will see even thai kickboxers… The highlight of the progtram for sure will be the The COMEDY OF ERRORS, producted by PaS de théâtre from Ostrava, and only in Ostrava introduced RICHARD III with famous Polish actor and director Jerzy Stuhr in name part.

The good news for theatre – goers certainly is, that in Prague´s audience – divided like every year to three zones according the distance from stage – for the first time will be the seat marked with number : festival battling with yearly crowd of audience wants to by this step increase the comfort for theatre-goers.

And what’s more...

History confirms that the Summer Shakespeare Festival is an activity that attracts quality creators, the interest of the media and a substantially large public. In 1999 and 2000, President Václav Havel granted the project his personal support with his patronage. The Czech Republic’s current President VÁCLAV KLAUS has also granted the activities of the festival with his support. Another great patron of the Festival is its main partner, the PPF Group.

The Czech-based company standing on the peak of the financial market has supported the Festival for nine years. Thanks to its initiative, the theatre showcase has grown to include prestigious photographic exhibitions (organized right on the grounds of the Prague Castle) as well as other benevolent, charitable activities. This year, for its large audiences and for those individuals who do not speak Czech or Slovak, the PPF Group has prepared an outstanding exhibition entitled, MAXIMUM PHOTOGRAPHY that will be on display in the picturesque gardens of the Prague Castle.

Contacts

Tickets for Prague, Brno, Ostrava: www.ticketportal.cz

Bratislava, Kosice: www.ticketportal.sk

Production agency (Prague, Brno, Ostrava):
AGENTURA SCHOK, spol. s r.o., schok@shakespeare.cz

Production agency (Bratislava, Kosice):
Agentúra JAY production, shakespeare@wshakespeare.sk

Contact for press and media: Magdalena Bicikova, magdalena@shakespeare.cz