about the production
“This is the first Carmen with no Carmen present. Only her effigy can be seen, suspended from the wall of a forlorn hut next to Don Josés military rifle, and bulls horns – heyday trophies of Escamillo the torero. Beneath the stern eyes of dummy Carmen two freaky and sclerotic old geezers, spending their grotesque sustenances held by the dummy's sleeves as if by tentacles around their necks disabling them from escape, childishly out trumping each other. They are only alive through remembrances of good old times. Once rivals fighting for favours of the beautiful gypsy girl, today they fight with false teeth as if with castanets far the rests of freedom and identity, for running from the influence of once beloved Carmen, concealing their hobbies and soft spots, fighting far the right to play never-ending games of checkers, using snifters of booze far pieces.
This is approximately how the life of both protagonists would look like, had their dream come true – had passionate “love had time to transform into everyday married life. It is a tragicomical grimace, finalized ad absurd um in the style of The Nuts to reflect the awkwardness of human existence, and sad transience of everything. lt is sure to delight those who like the drastic, somewhat cynical and cruel humour of this couple of clowns, targeting the perpetual theme of losers, bunglers and other luckless fellows. lt seems that in addition to all crock-of-gold riches of dryly served gags remembered from the brilliant „Clowns”, „Victims of a Car Accident” and „Boxers” there remained space far a waft of poetic fragrance, far liberating clown ship and a gratifying smile far a life worth living…
Ota Popp
“Horáček and Klepáč, virtuoso mimic artists have performed in Liberec and Praha – the Ateliér and the Branický Theatre of Pantomime, jointly featuring seven all-night plays. With the exception of Spain, they have walked on the stages of all European theatres, and played on all continents except Australia.”
Jiří Tlučhof
tvorcovia
director: Pavel Blažek
set decoration: Ivan Antoš
choreography: František Pokorný
cast: Mila Horáček, Antonín Klepáč