Programme of the Archa Theatre for December 2001
Saturday, December 1
8 p.m.
Tabula Rasa Theatre
The Good Anna (Hodná Anna)
The motifs based on the texts of Gertrude Stein are brought to life in this clever "kitchen symphony". Developed in the framework of the Studio of the Archa Theatre. Performing: Lenka Vychodilová, Eva Pospíšilová, Petra Cikánová and Hana Schmidtmajerová, music: Jaroslav Kořán, stage design: Petr Nikl, direction: Jana Svobodová.
Festival Alternativa 2001
Monday, December 3
8 p.m.
Myra Melford (USA)
Coda magazine says it Best: "Melford is at once a dancer, a romantic and a savage suckerpuncher at the bench… beating all hell out of the piano and making it beautiful." Myra Melford: piano, Chris Speed: tenor sax, Cuong Vu: trumpet, Erik Friedlander: cello, Michael Sarin: drums.
Peter Cusack, Viv Corringham (GB)
Peter and Viv have collaborated in musics from completely improvised to very structured song. Currently their duo performs songs, mixed with improvisation and soundscapes created from enviromental recordings - all controlled live. Some of the songs are from the Eastern Mediterranean area but heavilly arranged in our own way. Others are self written.
Think of One (B)
Think of One is a music factory in permanent rebirth. Never do they see a musical genre as such, but give each genre a rich vitamine shot. Musicians for which music is their sole purpose are rare. Think of One is one of those bands which excells in pure musical playing. Think of One is one of those groups-in-constant-progress. They use elements of jazz, funk, folk, rock, latin, walz and Arabic music to form their compositions.
Tuesday, December 4
8 p.m.
LARF
LARF is a dramatic concert conceived and directed by Josse De Pauw (actor, playwright) and Peter Vermeersch (composer and band-leader). An 18 headed big band (The Flat Earth Society), 3 excellent actors (Josse de Pauw, Tom Jansen and Dirk Roofthooft) and visual artist Koen Tinel make an energetic, critical, poetic and swinging performance. LARF tells the story of an 'I', a larva, that is born one day and in no time at all grows into a power-hungry despot. This is political theatre for the 21st century. The town of Gent (B) evening
Wendesday, December 5
8 p.m.
Blank Disc, Neocekivana Sila, Boris Kovac
The town of Beograd (YU) evening.
Thursday, December 6
8 p.m.
Freight Train a Eden (film by Andrzej Czeczot), Muzyka Centrum Ensemble, Swietliki
The town of Cracow (PL) evening.
Friday, December 7
8 p.m.
Winner of the Malá Alternativa
Radian (A)
Positing a field of tension between electronic and non-electronic instruments. Extracted from that principle is a self-defined microcosmos where minimal shifts and modulations occurring within the structure of timbre and rhythm determine the actual musical dynamic. The individual levels are laminated together, a stacking of various rough surfaces, into a unified sound+noise+texture.
The Noise of Time (GB/USA/Japan)
The Noise of Time is a five piece group formed in Prague by British drummer, percussionist & composer Marcus Godwyn which aims to give musicians the chance to explore and express as wide a variety of moods, aspects and disciplines as possible, all under one roof, so to speak. Marcus Godwyn (GB): drums, percussion, vocals, Marika Papach (USA/Jap): violin, keyboards, vocals, Lucy Fillery (GB): cello, keyboards,vocals, Heather Mount (USA): bass, guitar, vocals, Radim Vychopen (CZ) or Reegan Brown (USA): sax, clarinet, various wind instruments.
The evening of the Rachot agency
Saturday, December 8
8 p.m.
The sessions evening
Winner of the Malá Alternativa
Vojtěch a Irena Havlovi, Vladimír Sosna (CZ)
Czech-belgian project BELGAMATIC: Geert Waegeman, IEP, Koen van Roy, Walter Hus, Pavel Fajt, Jaroslav Škvarna, Luisa Rzymanova
Czech-english project: Mikoláš Chadima, Chris Cutler
Czech-moravian project: Vladimír Václavek, René Pařez, Miloš Dvořáček
Sunday, December 9
8 p.m.
No Moss and Friends
A diplomatic evening without protocol.
No Moss is a music group composed of two Belgian diplomats who love rock and blues, and their friends. Bernard Pierre (ambassador to Prague) and Jean Deschacht (the embassy's economic representative) will meet in the Archa Theatre to play their own versions of standards by ambassadors of rock, blues and jazz with guests Emil Viklický, Laco Tropp, Roman Pokorný and Petr Dvorský.
Monday, December 10
8 p.m.
The Respekt Magazine Debates:
Guard Dogs Without a Master
Or Who will monitor Czech journalists? Guests: reporters Karel Hvížďala, Marek Vítek, Petr Štěpánek (deputy chairman of the Radio and Television Broadcast Council) and Antonín Dekoj (chairman of the Czech Television Employees' Independent Union Association).
Moderated by - Petr Holub, Respekt magazine and Jan Pokorný, Czech Radio 1- Radiožurnál.
December 11 - 13
8 p.m.
Divadlo Husa na provázku
Grandmother (Babička)
Pictures of an Outside Life
The fetishistic revue based on the novel by Božena Němcová. Script: Petr Oslzlý and Ivo Robot, Director: Ivo Krobot, Music: Zdeněk Kluka and Jiří Pavlica.
Friday, December 14
8 p.m.
Vizita Theatre
Most Pleasant Pre-Christmas Frolic
Jaroslav Dušek, Martin Zbrožek and Jaromír Honzák, by the light of Viktor Zborník's Christmas sparklers, frolic in all that pre-Christmastime can bring. Can Christmas incense burn eternal? Is Christmas still "in'?
Live Broadcast: http://archa.inway.cz
Saturday, December 15
8 p.m.
The Sign of Power - A Tribute to Jan Zahradníček
An evening of text, performance, music and film in tribute to the uncompromising poet who died while under imprisonment by the Communists. The evening is part of Jiří Sozanský's art project which challenges artists to create works inspired by the poetic works of J. Zahradníček. Performance directed by: Jiří Adámek. In cooperation with the Symposion association.
Live Broadcast: http://archa.inway.cz
Sunday, December 16
8 p.m.
Filip Topol and Agon Orchestra
Žiletky, Kruhy, Černý sedlo, Prší and other songs of Filip Topol adapted for new music orchestra. A concert of music from the new joint album co-produced by the Archa Theatre and Indies Records, to be followed by the CD release party. Vocals: Filip Topol. Agon Orchestra conducted by Petr Kofroň.
Live Broadcast: http://archa.inway.cz
December 19 - 21
8 p.m.
Questioning Heaven in Despair
A sino-baroque performance
Directed by: J. A. Pitínský
The Archa Theatre's new project. A theatrical and musical piece in which contemporary culture meets with the mysterious and fascinating worlds of Chinese Opera and Baroque Theatre.
The story of an early 18th century Czech Jesuit mission to the court of the Chinese Emperor; a story of all those far from home and surrounded by a foreign culture, experiencing delight and amazement but also alienation and fear, trying to find the common ground between cultures. The performance weaves together elements of the Peking Opera - such as Chinese singing, acrobatics, martial arts - with baroque music and the principles of baroque theatre. Composer: Petr Hromádka. Set design: Tomáš Rusín. Costume design: Zuzana Štefunková. The main role is played by Peking Opera singer Feng-Jün Song. Story and concept by Aleš Roleček, Ondřej Hrab, and Jana Svobodová.
The performance was created as an ancillary project of "The Glory of the Baroque in Bohemia" exhibition, with the support of the City of Prague.
Saturday, December 22
7 p.m.
Michal Prokop & friends
Hosté: Ida Kelarová a Romano Rat, Zpocení potkani, Jan Hrubý, Luboš Andršt
Michal Prokop's only Prague concert this year. A rare opportunity to hear his "classics" (Kolej Yesterday, Blues o spolykaných slovech, Bitva o Karlův most) along with songs from his latest CD Odněkud někam. Zpocení potkani (The Sweaty Rats) is the name of the Tesařík brothers' first ever band, suggesting that they will be getting back to their roots (soul, blues, reggae, gospel) this evening.
On exhibition in the foyer:
November 15th - December 8th
Datatransfer - Street
December 11th - January 31st, 2002
The Sign of Power - A Tribute to Jan Zahradníček
Photos, graphic arts, drawings, collages - Jiří Borl, Jiří Sozanský, Milan Maryška, Zdeněk Lhoták, Lejla Zahiragič, Aldin Popaja. This exhibition will also be taking place in the Hollar and Millenium galleries.