New Blood on the Stage 2022

Natálie Podešvová is a young performer, dancer and choreographer who works in a diverse collective of people – across dance, theatre, music, photography, film and visual arts – Dočasná Company. In the programme “New Blood on Stage” she applied with her first solo project Sara, in which she tries to formulate the first steps of her original approach to theatre mainly in the language of contemporary dance and physical theatre.

Support from Nová síť:

Natálie presented at the project exchange Sbal ho/ji/to! at the festival Malá inventura in Prague. Through seminars and consultations, Natálie is getting training in operational and administrative issues necessary for her independent functioning as a freelance artist. Furthermore, Nová síť works with Natalia to support her in orientation on the scene in Prague, but especially in the regions of the Czech Republic, assists her in establishing contacts and new collaborations and supports Natalia in the creation of a new project.

Bio
Natálie Podešvová is studying for her Master’s degree in Nonverbal Theatre Department at HAMU in Prague. Her focus ranges from mime and physical theatre to contemporary dance. In addition to her studies, she has acquired and developed her skills in many workshops under the guidance of renowned teachers and artists (David Strnad, Lenka Vagnerová, Milan Odstrčil, Iratxe Ansa and Igor Bacovich, Lionel Ménard, Pau Bachero, Scott Jennings, Lali Aygaudé, Sara Mangano and Pierre Yves Massip, among others).

She is interested in the interconnection of contemporary dance with physical theatre techniques. She focuses on the development of different movement principles and qualities. In 2020, she created the site-specific student project Effugio, for which she found a new space this year and, together with the performers, she further elaborated the concept in Effugio volume 2, which includes a multimedia exhibition in addition to the performance itself. Both deal with the pressing topic of deliberate physical self-harm. Thanks to the recommendation of the young critics within the European project Be SpectACTive!, Effugio volume 2 was selected for the Czech Dance Platform 2021. At the end of 2021, she prepared her first solo authorial project Sára.

Natálie also graduated in Teaching for the first grade at Palacký University in Olomouc and taught for several years at a primary school. She still uses this experience in her choreographic work as well as in leading dance and theatre workshops for children and young people. As an artist, she is interested in themes that come from any form of relationship (relationship to oneself, to someone/something, to one’s surroundings). She considers relationships as a fundamental aspect of human functioning not only in society.

The applied project:

Sára

I tried to fell asleep but I was starring at the ceiling for half an hour instead. Then I switched on the lamp and start writing again to stop after few lines, crumple the paper and throw it into the corner. Now, after another ten minutes, I’m trying again. It is 2 am, I’m writing as my thoughts flow and don’t focus on spelling much so excuse me.

Concept/with: Natálie Podešvová
Music: Filip Krejčí, Silvio Rodriguez, Lapsley, Pan Sonic, J. F. Händel
Sound directing: Jan Vaniš
Lightdesign and technical cooperation: Vojtěch Brtnický
Scenographic cooperation: Lidya Arina Emir
Costumes: Alžběta Uhlíková
Projection: Matouš Ondra
Production: Natálie Matysková

Supported by: HAMU

AVERZE_ is a new professional theatre platform that brings together theatre artists of different professions with a focus on new drama and borderline theatre forms. Averze_ was created with the aim of providing its members with a platform for continuous original work with an experimental approach and a strong social and political overlap. Programmatically, the platform addresses strong “feminine” themes in the context of reflection on contemporary society. Aversion_ is currently the resident group of the independent art zone – CO.LABS.

As part of the New Blood on Stage programme, Nová síť will provide to the Averze_ a residency at the DIOD Open Door Theatre in Jihlava.

Bio
The leading personality of Aversion_ is Slovak director and dramaturge Alexandra Bolfová. Her work focuses on devised theatre with social issues and feminism. She graduated from the Theatre Faculty of the Janáček Academy of Performing Arts in Brno, majoring in drama directing and dramaturgy. She is currently the director and dramaturge of the independent art zone CO.LABS, where she is dedicated to supporting independent professional artists. She has several directing and dramaturgy credits in various Czech theatres (National Theatre Brno, Municipal Theatre Zlín, Švandovo Theatre in Smíchov). Recently, he has been collaborating mainly with independent theatres (CO.LABS, Pomezí, Venuše ve Švehlovce, Gaffa). She is the founder of the performative platform Averze_. She also teaches at the JAMU in Brno.

The applyed project

Medea_is_missing

Author production on the theme of women’s identity in contemporary stereotyped society. Who is Medea today? A female alien. A woman-mother. A single mother. MEDEA_is_missing, but maybe she’s just gone for aesthetic plastic surgery and when she comes back she’ll have new fake tits. Or worse, she’ll be a feminist.

The contemporary seems contemporary because archetypes are eternal and omnipresent, just like the duality of racism and uncontrollable emotions. But perhaps the drive to follow the path of fulfilling one’s own ambitions is more natural than the maternal instinct, and the boundary crossing seems to have been countless as well. “NOT EVERY PIECE OF MEAT CAN BE MADE INTO A MAN.”

Is it the society or the individual that is sick? Who is the real Medea, where and why did the children disappear, and what is the meaning of the word mother? Our mothers – your mothers. But where is reality? Could it get any worse just by replacing patriarchy with matriarchy? And where has Medea gone?
Three women come together to celebrate the god Dionysus: Agamed, Merope, Glauce, and they start to talk. But how do you work with fakin sisterhood when it’s obviously as fucked up as democracy? Oh, yeah, the women. I mean, yeah, the mothers.

The original production is very loosely inspired by Christa Wolf’s book, Medea and Other Voices.

Creative team:

Directed by: Alexandra Bolfová
Dramaturgy: Martin Hodoň, Michal Šesták
Dramaturgical cooperation: Marek Horoščák
Scene, costumes: Karolína Srpková
Light design: Filip Obermajer
Music: Martin Konvička, Tereza Marečková
Make-up: Miss Petty
Graphics, visual: Karolína Srpková
Production: Noemi Krausová, Ladislav Horák, Veronika Čechmánková, Anička Kočová
Photo: Petr Chodura

Hrají: Klára Bulantová, Karolína Vaňková, Dana Jaceková, Michaela Efrati, Denisa Růžková

Supported by: Inscenaci finančně podpořilo Ministerstvo kultury České republiky, Státní fond kultury a Ministerstvo školství, mládeže a tělovýchovy. Koproducenty inscenace jsou divadlo Venuše ve Švehlovce a DIFA JAMU. Projekt je součástí Specifického výzkumu na DIFA JAMU.

FRAS is a young but slowly emerging group of talented artists. The core group consists of Johana Bártová, Jakub Šulík and Matěji Šumbera. They are graduates of the bachelor’s programme KALD DAMU under the guidance of Lukáš Jiřička, Robert Smolík, Tomáš Procházka and Branislav Mazúch. Currently, all members of the ensemble are continuing their studies at KALD DAMU. The group has been forming since 2019.

In previous years, Nová síť has already supported their production The Smallest of the Sami, which was a success not only at the Malá Inventura Festival in Prague, but also during a number of performances within the network of regional partners of the Nová síť netvork of cultural centres. The projects Medar and Behind the Door, submitted to this year’s call, were undoubtedly among the best we can see on the young puppet scene in the Czech Republic.

Nová síť supported the presentation of both projects at the Malá Inventura Festival in Prague and is planning further presentations, especially in the regions of the Czech Republic. FRAS is very actively involved in the campaign to help Ukrainian refugees. They have created a version of their production Behind the Door in Ukrainian and are performing this performance entirely without remuneration. In addition, FRAS will receive support in the form of a residency at the Sladovna in Písek.

The applied projects:

Behind the Door

A big house in the middle of a big city. Jáchym lives here with his mother and father. It’s summer, and his friends have left. Jáchym hangs around the house alone. Ema arrives for part of the summer holidays. Mysteries are about to be revealed. As soon as Jáchym and Ema meet, a riddle involving a clumsy old man and a locked door begins to unfold. The children don’t have a choice, they must get to the bottom of this mystery.

Created by: Johana Bártová, Jakub Müller, Antonie Rašilovová, Jakub Šulík
Supported by: Divadlo Alfred ve dvoře, Nová síť

The Honey Maker

Yoshi has never had to go far from his village. His life was as happy as the life of an old Nepalese bachelor could have been. But then Yoshi’s sister fell ill, and now he is faced with the difficult task of climbing the mountain peaks in order to bring back medicine for his sister. It is a dangerous journey that may well cost him his life.

With: Jakub Šulík, Matěj Šumbera, Johana Bártová (sound)
Author and director: Johana Bártová
Supported by: DAMU, DRAMA LABEL

ALDENTE Theatre was originally established as a “theatre-laboratory” for students of DAMU, JAMU, HAMU and VŠMU, focusing on site-specific and poetic theatre. In 2014, the theatre decided to change its artistic profile and orientation from “site-specific” to “actor-specific” – i.e. theatre with actors with difference, specifically with Down syndrome. In 2019, the theatre started a close cooperation with the Theatre Faculty of JAMU, which received a grant for the development of this type of theatre. The acting ensemble has stabilized as a result, and the actors have undergone some acting development and training that they would not have otherwise received due to their disabilities.

Currently the company consists of 10 actors, mainly with Down syndrome, aged 16-25, and several permanent collaborators from among theatre professionals. Most of the actors with Down syndrome have about 70 performances to their credit; some of them have been involved in film (e.g. Hana Bartoňová – Knots and Oranges (CT 2019, directed by Ivan Pokorný))

Aldente Theatre is striving to create a fully professional stage with actors with Down syndrome, in which it holds the first position in the Czech Republic. It is inspired by similar theatres abroad – research stays in theatres in Sweden, Germany, England or Poland. A documentary by Czech Television called We are not down! (Lea Surovcová, 2020), awarded the VVOZP prize for journalistic achievement in the television category (1st place) and nominated for the 2020 Journalism Award.

Nová síť provides the theatre with year-round coaching and consulting focused on branding, media image, audience relations and finance. In addition, Nová síť assists in arranging tours to regions of the Czech Republic.

The applied project:

Antigona
The well-known classical ancient tragedy offers an ethical problem: is it good to obey the rules, even if the rules are wrong?

Two brothers die fighting each other. The ruler Kreon orders one of them to be buried with all honours, but forbids the burial of the other. The brothers have two sisters: Ismene decides to obey the orders, while Antigone defies them and buries her other brother despite the ban. Creon condemns her to death. Antigone walks to her death and Creon realizes that his command was against the will of the gods. His epiphany, however, comes too late: Antigone has taken her own life, and other people will die with her.

The specific theatrical poetics are based on actors with otherness (especially with Down syndrome) and their artistic dialogue with actors who are not “disadvantaged”. The interpretation is an intersection of the life experiences and personal perspectives of each of them. Through this dialogue they try to create something that will transcend each of us: a catharsis perhaps?

There are three Antigones. Two Creons. A thousand opinions on catharsis.
The tragedy by Sophocles in 60 minutes.

Supported by: Vladimír Juda (who provided us with the rights to the translation by F. Stiebitz free of charge); The production was created with the support of the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic within the Éta programme as a project of the Theatre Faculty of JAMU.