Archa's new performance of In the Mirror (Reflections of story book pictures) is linked to previous projects which were created by such guests as Peter Schumann, Min Tanaka, The Residents and the Dutch group, Dogtroep. These productions were created especially for the Archa Theatre space - in collaboration with Czech artists - and were inspired by several factors, such as the genius of the theatre space, the city of Prague, the particular era and some famous literary works. The project, In the Mirror, began last year in Africa, when Petr Nikl, together with a group of Czech artists, were guests during a festival in Johannesburg. Four of their African colleagues recently came to Prague, and after one month, created a "visual musical leporelo (pop-up book)".
Nikl, dressed as a jester, always influences the action in the background. He presents this performance together with seven actors from Prague and Africa - some are actors, others musicians, singers, dancers, and puppeteers. Also participating are two musicians, Irena and Vojtěch Havel, who are watchers of this world both "in front" and "behind the mirror". Several strange, animated machines and mysterious creatures are brought to life, silence sounds from the primeval forest. It seems as though we have just entered into the centre of Nikl's picture, where artistic objects emerge from the dark. These objects seem like technical wonders - they blink, and they turn themselves on and off. They absorb light. They control, setting off or absorbing the light, they move toward, and even swallow up actors and other objects. Gradually each of them become a human person after they arise from their animal base. All objects are controlled by actors, or rather some of the objects are themselves actors. The staging is something between a "white" stylised acting with difficult costumes and "black", spontaneous dance including songs and wild rhythms of the South African performers.
The premiere was an unusual illustration of the actual trend of the world theatre in which we could see a combination of tradition and habits with the latest artistic trends and technologies. The similar trends in music are called world music, that's why we can call this project the "world theatre" and the Archa Theatre is one of its prophets.