Behind the Door (Za dvermi) Festival in Prague
By Tracy A. Burns
The Behind the Door (Za dvermi) festival, running from Monday, July 15 to Friday, July 19, features art performances on and near Wenceslas Square. For five days, the largest square in Prague becomes home to open-air presentations that involve music, dance, juggling, theatre, and clownery. The international festival shows off the creations of Czech artistic ensembles as well as groups from Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Japan, and Poland. A Czech-French theatre is slated to perform, too.
Behind the Door Festival: Some highlights on Monday, July 15
One intriguing feature of the festival is the “Take Care of Your Square” event in which artists are urged to interpret and reinvent the purpose and meaning of Wenceslas Square as a public space in a creative way on Monday, July 15 at 6 pm. The festival kicks off with a parade by the Czech V.O.S.A Theatre on Prague’s largest square on Monday, July 15 at 5 pm.
Behind the Door Festival: Some highlights on Tuesday, July 16
In “Undertakers” a coffin transforms into a puppet theatre and pool table while funeral guests turn into magicians and cabaret artists. The street performance interpreted by the Woriot Ideal ensemble takes place on Tuesday, July 16 at 4 pm. The Japanese group of Nori Sawa will present a unique portrayal of the Little Red Riding Hood tale with puppet theatre, live song, and aerobics. The extraordinary show called “The Art of Being Invisible” starts at 6 pm.
Behind the Door Festival: Some highlights on Wednesday, July 17
The Polish alternative scene is featured on Wednesday, July 17 with Teatr Feta and Teatr Gry I Ludzie taking charge. At 9 pm Teatr Gry I Ludzie presents a collage of images based on the life of Jan Wnek, an innovator who made a name for himself in the early days of aviation. Contemporary dance and acts on stilts come to life in this performance
Behind the Door Festival: Some highlights on Thursday, July 18
On Thursday, July 18 at 6 pm, Theatre en Vol, a Sardinian ensemble, performs the “Brigade of Urban Harmonisation,” featuring innovative machines made of scrap metal. The circus performers of the Zirk Mir ensemble from the Netherlands take center stage at 9 pm.
Behind the Door Festival: Some highlights on Friday, July 19
German Djuggledy kicks off the last day of the festival with a sensational performance featuring juggling in his “El Diabolo” act at 4 pm. The award-winning Decalages, a Czech-French ensemble, performs at 5 pm, utilizing dance, acrobatics, music, and humor to comment on daily life. At 6 pm and at 9 pm, the Slovak Teatro Tatro takes on a sporting theme in “The Magical Theatrical Vending Machine.” Other Czech and international groups will show off their talent at the festival, too.
