African music taken from the performance
Second Hand Twilight - Obnošené sny
Czech-South African Theatre Project
Theatre performance about new and reused materials
Second Hand Twilight is the continuation of a Czech-South African project which began in 1997. During that year, a group of Czech artists travelled to Johannesburg to participate in the Arts Alive Festival, and conducted a workshop whose participants were a group of individuals from South Africa. Mutual interest grew into an extensive cultural collaboration and the realisation of two cross-cultural projects in the Archa Theatre in Prague: In the Mirror - 1998 and Behind the Mirror - 1999.
Second Hand Twilight will be a creation which goes beyond the limitations of a simple story line, as was used in the previous projects, and it will explore the possibilities of improvisation within a prescribed structure. Through this search, Second Hand Twilight will uncover the similarities and differences of contemporary political, ecological and sociological issues that are apparent in both Czech and South African cultures. The backbone of the performance will be a story which will be a gradual discovery of values and the exploration of the usage of various found objects. Tragic and comic situations will be connected throughout the coherent story creating a comprehensive portrait of the characters.
Imagine living out your dream on an island that is created from items that you have discarded - objects that you have rendered as old or useless or as having no value to you anymore. Then imagine that you are not alone with your dream and your discarded things, but that there are other individuals with you on that island - each a little different than the other. Everyone perhaps speak different languages, or come from different cultures. In this unknown environment, we witness the discoveries of relationships and values through the use of a music, sound, and action.
We are surrounded by various objects. Just because we are no longer in possession of these things, does not mean that they have no value. What defines the value of those things that we have? Today's consumer society gives meaning of things from their use. Second Hand Twilight offers us an opportunity to examine things from a variety of angles - maybe we will be able to answer the question - "what is of 'real' value to us?"
Direction / dramaturgy: Jana Svobodová, Petr Nikl
Music: Jaroslav Kořán
Stage and costume design: Petr Nikl
Performing: Agatha Madinane, Jaroslav Kořán, Innocent Xhosa, Jana Svobodová, Mike Manana, Petra Cikánová, Madoda Manana, Victor Motsepe and Petr Nikl
