THE LEŠANY CRIB
Premiere: 2nd November 2016 in La Fabrika Theatre / Prague
The Lešany Crib is based on a story of the famous Czech author František Hrubín. It deals with hope and fatality in our lives through a parallel with the biblical theme of Joseph, Mary and their child chased by a Herod’s soldier. The story is full of bizarre situations, love, humor, hope and belief. Five characters will meet in a pub in the middle of nowhere during a snow blizzard.
The moving story with its beautiful language and the poetry full of images may work as a cure against the world obsessed with production and serve as a reminder of the human dimension in each one of us. The Lešany Crib impresses by the power of simplicity and humanity emerging from the poetry of Hrubín. Text full of emotions with its rich and intense ancient story, text relating to the pre-Christian and Christian roots of the European culture at the moment of their retrieval and need for their remembering.
“Josef Padevět and his wife Marie have been walking. Marie does not want to surrender the bundle made of a quilt and covered with a coat that she has been holding in her arms. In it, blood is running through the darkness of the little body that, with every beat of its heart, has been approaching the moment when it realizes itself and becomes enchanted by the immense and amazing life with the horrors of wars, dreams and love, …“
František Hrubín, The Lešany Crib
AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS:
THALIA AWARD NOMINATION 2016 for Fanny Barrouquére
OPERA PLUS AUDIENCE AWARD NOMINATIONS 2017:
THE BEST DANCER: Fanny Barrouquére, Andrea Opavská
THE BEST CHOREOGRAPHY: Lenka Vagnerová
THE THEATRE NEWSPAPER AWARD NOMINATION 2016/2017
CREDITS:
Concept, choreography, direction: Lenka Vagnerová
Concept, dramaturgy: Vladimír Javorský
Music: Ivan Acher
Performing: Fanny Barrouquére, Matilde Giacomelli, Adam Sojka, Leonard Vo Tan, Lukas Lizama Garrido / Leo Terris
Scenography: Anna Vránová, Lenka Vagnerová, Vladimír Javorský
Costumes: Michal Heriban, Andrea Vagnerová
Music performed by: Jana Vébrová: accordion, helicon, vocals, Lenka Dusilová: vocals, Karolína Baranová: voice, Vladan Maliniak: violin, viola, Ivan Acher: vocals, helicon, sampler, preparpiano, harmonium, Vladimír
Javorský: vioce
Light design: Michal Kříž
Sound design: Eva Hamouzová
Producer: Lenka Vagnerová & Company
Premiered at: Theatre La Fabrika Theatre (Prague)
Rehearsed in: STUDIO ALTA
With a subsidy from: Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, Capital City of Prague
The copyright Lešany Crib Františka Hrubína has been represented by DILIA, divadelní, literární, audiovizuální agentura, z.s., Krátkého 1, Prague.
REVIEWS:
★★★★★ „Lenka Vagnerová has created in The Lešany Crib images full of symbolism and associations.”
„A work has appeared so imaginative and complex and of such ingenuity that a single viewing is not sufficient for the audience to absorb all its many features.”
„The production is comprised of so many visually striking images, it actually evokes instead a work of fine art. As is now typical of Lenka Vagnerová’s works, scenes transform their dynamic and we await very energetic outputs, alternating lyrical scenes, but also comic ones.”
„There is an enormous amount that is hidden in this production.”
„The production gradually draws the viewer into another world and as good theatre it arouses actual emotions, feelings of insecurity and fear, but also laughter.” (OPERA PLUS / LUCIE KOCOURKOVÁ)
„An absorbing production from the very beginning that took my breath away and the only thing I could think of was that it had no end. For me it is the dance performance of the year and I am looking forward to seeing it again.” (I-DIVADLO / JIRKAN)
„The new work from our most talented choreographer Lenka Vagnerová” “Her feeling is dramatic, dynamic, emotional.”
„As well as dance she has placed realistic moments in the production text which make the dance expression credible. Conjoining with the lyrics by Hrubín is the theme of pain and terror of the mother, whose child is in mortal danger - whose child is in crisis. In the text and the dance this danger is expressed by the idea (phobia) of Herod’s soldier.”
„The marvellous subject of Mary in the world, so frequent in old sculpture and painting, in this production comes physically to life. It is a brilliant metaphor. If any audience were to miss this it would be a tragedy, it’s a great metaphor!” (DANCE ZONE / NINA VANGELI)
„The hour-long production is literally filled with choreographic and theatrical ideas.” (DANCE MAGAZINE / MICHAL STEIN)
„The dynamic of the production has a very broad context, fragility meets the desire to destroy so that it immediately returns strengthened by the determination to preserve life, a determination powered by love for the being that is only waiting for its great entrance into life.” (DANCE ZONE / JAKUB NOVÁK)
„A dance geyser whirls forward in a stormy then calm tempo and keeps you in its grip. Light, dark, dancers and things leave behind them darkening shadows, becoming an essential part of the visually thrilling images which Vagnerová knows how to capture in the minutes detail.” (TANČNÍ AKTUALITY / LUCIE DERCSÉNYIOVÁ)
„Lenka Vagnerová, Vladimír Javorský and Ivan Acher managed to create an extraordinarily complex performance that is a joy to watch, listen to and explore. The dancing, the selected quotes of the ballade and the music interconnect to form a perfect work that the audience watches enthusiastically from the beginning to the end; it gets carried away, entertained and thrilled by it.”
„Lenka Vagnerová takes you from a busy street in Prague to the countryside covered by snow where you will be surrounded by beautiful music and singing. She gives you a chance to experience fear, anxiety, suspense and relief. The choreography makes it possible to follow the story without any difficulties even if you do not know the Hrubín´s ballade; you let the dancers and the music guide you and end up taking away a very strong sensation.” (GENERACE21 / BARBORA ŠVARCOVÁ)
MEDIA:
RADIO VLTAVA / MOZAIKA : Představení, v němž slovo se stalo tancem
RADIO VLTAVA / MOZAIKA / JANA NÁVRATOVÁ O LEŠANSKÝCH JESLIČKÁCH (od 45 min)
OPERAPLUS / LUCIE KOCOURKOVÁ / S Lenkou Vagnerovou nejen o poslední premiéře
