You can remember the production of Hrabal (1914-1997), a native of Brno, whose novel I Served the English King served as the model for Remembrance, in other photos.
Kratochvílov’s footage is alternated with photographs by Jakub Jíra, photographer of the Slovak Theater, who photographed the same production in Brno during its renewed premiere in 2010. However, that was with a different, no less successful cast.
Photo: Miroslav Homola, Novinky
Bolek Polívka opened the exhibition as a tribute to Hrabal and the theater
Petr Oslzlý, the dramaturg of the production, theater director, actor and later director of the Center for Experimental Theaters or rector of JAMU, recalled his first meeting with the already famous writer at the opening of the exhibition: “That time in Prague, where I was waiting for Hrabal at U tigra, I found out what it’s actually crazy. Originally, I thought that they had simply cheated a countryman from Brno with the little beer in the glass.
The theater staff wanted to take the writer, who participated in the creation of the production and was also the author of the title of the play, to his birthplace in Židenice in Brno after the premiere.
“But he didn’t want that under any circumstances. He explained it by saying that this would close the circle of his life, and he didn’t care about that,” the playwright recalled.
Postponed premiere
The play’s director, Ivo Krobot, also joined in the commemoration. “The premiere was supposed to take place on the first of May. However, some comrade connected the premiere date with the May Day celebrations, so we presented Remembrance on the last day of April,” he said, adding that it certainly did not harm the play. She played for thirty years.
Photo: Miroslav Homola, Novinky
Photos from the Theater on a String were installed on a string by photographers Jakub Jírů (left) and the son of the author of the original photos from the premiere, Tino.
Tino Kratochvíl, the author’s son and co-organizer of the exhibition, hung the photos of Dad with his colleague Kuba Jírů using clothespins.
“Dad left behind an excellent and carefully maintained archive. And so there was a lot to choose from. And also the idea of installing photos on a string was his. I already did it once in the stables of Bolko Polívka, when I helped my father there with a similar exhibition,” confided Tino Kratochvíl.
“These are memories not only of the theater, but also of Hrabal, whom we all have at home,” said Bolek Polívka at the opening, who, although he did not play in the performance himself, thoroughly enjoyed the premiere and meeting the writer’s legend.
Antonín Kratochvíl: If you want to take a good photo, you have to go where the fighting is going on
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