about the production
The Czech director Daniela Špinar is one of the most outstanding names of her generation. This is underscored by the fact that she was appointed the artistic director of the National Drama Theatre in Prague at the age of 35. She is coming to Divadelná Nitra with a production that she made at the Drama Company of the Slovak National Theatre.
At first glance, the production largely brings satirical and at times politically incorrect humour or golden sparkles of the cabaret genre. Yet, a closer look reveals a piece that is a statement about loneliness, about the innate human need to overcome loneliness and about the unique parent – child relationship. Three monologues conceived as stand-up comedy in the interpretation of Zuzana Fialová, Ľuboš Kostelný and Gabriela Dzuríková offer three stories – three statements that are connected by the demonised topic of LGBTI+ people in Slovakia as well. They are presented in a way that points out the absurdity of some ideas, such as that gays spread homosexuality with their gaze. On the other hand, the authors do not create an uncritically activist piece: instead, they attempt to communicate with a more conservative audience. With the very title of the play, The New Century, Paul Rudnick emphasises that the text is also largely about the dialogue between the generations of LGBTI+ people from the 1990s and the present-day 20- and 30-somethings. The Slovak (and Czech) translation of We’re Fine accentuates much more powerfully the need for the majority to accept people with a minority relationship preference. The result of presenting the piece on the stage of the Slovak National Theatre is a production. In addition to a striking text, it is based on extraordinary performances, detailed work of the lead characters what multiplies the experience and unexpected catharsis among the spectators.
At first glance, the production largely brings satirical and at times politically incorrect humour or golden sparkles of the cabaret genre. Yet, a closer look reveals a piece that is a statement about loneliness, about the innate human need to overcome loneliness and about the unique parent – child relationship. Three monologues conceived as stand-up comedy in the interpretation of Zuzana Fialová, Ľuboš Kostelný and Gabriela Dzuríková offer three stories – three statements that are connected by the demonised topic of LGBTI+ people in Slovakia as well. They are presented in a way that points out the absurdity of some ideas, such as that gays spread homosexuality with their gaze. On the other hand, the authors do not create an uncritically activist piece: instead, they attempt to communicate with a more conservative audience. With the very title of the play, The New Century, Paul Rudnick emphasises that the text is also largely about the dialogue between the generations of LGBTI+ people from the 1990s and the present-day 20- and 30-somethings. The Slovak (and Czech) translation of We’re Fine accentuates much more powerfully the need for the majority to accept people with a minority relationship preference. The result of presenting the piece on the stage of the Slovak National Theatre is a production. In addition to a striking text, it is based on extraordinary performances, detailed work of the lead characters what multiplies the experience and unexpected catharsis among the spectators.
creators
directed by: Daniela Špinar
translation: Mário Drgoňa
dramaturgy: Marta Ljubková, Darina Abrahámová
set and costumes design: Linda Boráros
music selection: Daniela Špinar
light design: Karel Šimek
cast: Zuzana Fialová, Ľuboš Kostelný, Gabriela Dzuríková, Lukáš Herc, Anna Magdaléna Hroboňová
dramaturgy: Marta Ljubková, Darina Abrahámová
set and costumes design: Linda Boráros
music selection: Daniela Špinar
light design: Karel Šimek
cast: Zuzana Fialová, Ľuboš Kostelný, Gabriela Dzuríková, Lukáš Herc, Anna Magdaléna Hroboňová
director
Daniela Špinar, after graduating in acting and stage directing at the DAMU Drama Theatre Department, performed in many theatres in and outside of Prague. She briefly worked as an in-house director of the theatre Divadlo na Vinohradech, where she directed the critically acclaimed Vojcek. She also worked with independent theatres, such as the Letí Theatre. Between 2015 and 2022, she led, as artistic director, the Drama Company of the National Theatre in Prague. In addition to classic works (e.g. Much Ado About Nothing, The Idiot, Pride and Prejudice, Beauty and the Beast), she staged many of her own stage adaptations of modern works and author’s text collages (e.g. Lunch at Wittgenstein’s; Fragility, Your Name Is Woman). She is the laureate of a number of major awards, such as The Alfréd Radok Award for the production of the year and The Josef Balvín Award within the Prague Theatre Festival of the German Language (Vojcek, Divadlo na Vinohradech).