Valerie and Her Week of Wonders
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Laterna magika
During a single week, a girl grows into a woman and her dreams turn into a dark nightmare. The world is no longer as Valerie has imagined it. This initiation rite reveals the secrets of the passage to adulthood and social hypocrisy through hyperbole and sarcasm borrowed from Vítězslav Nezval. The production is a poetic adaptation of the bizarre dark novel, which still evokes emotions, passion and fear.
Valerie leaves the world of childhood illusions and dives into the depths of a dark and obscure fantasy. Mystery, interlaced with sparks of absurdity and humour, pursues the main characters wherever they find themselves – whether it is a chicken coop, a cellar full of coffins or a crumbling temple.
The theatrical adaptation features a dialogue between film and stage performance, music and lighting design, and combines a poetic vision with the artistic vision of Laterna magika.
"From the depths to the sky and from the sky to the depths I flow, from the end to the beginning"
Recommended age 13+
Program and cast
Approximate running time: 1 hour 20 minutes, no intermission
Language: In Czech, surtitles in English
Valerie: Aneta Kalertová
Elsa: Eva Leinweberová
Hedviga: Jaroslava Rameš Janečková
Orlík: Zdeněk Piškula
Polecat: Petr Stach
Gratian: Filip Rajmont
Phantom: Alexandr Sadirov; Vojtěch Rak; Dalibor Lekeš; Matěj Petrák; Jindřich Panský; Matyáš Ramba
Creative team
Stage director - Jakub Šmíd
Dramaturgy - Hana Strejčková
Music - David Hlaváč
Sets - Petr Vítek
Costume design - Eva Jiřikovská
Choreography - Jiří Pokorný
Light design - Karel Šimek
Sound design - Jan Brambůrek
Video producer - Jindřich Trčka
Camera - Ondřej Belica
Animation - Eva Chudomelová; Erik Bartoš
The New Stage
A theatre building constructed in 1983, a stage with a specific dramaturgy. You can see there Laterna magika and Drama performances and a number of other original projects.
The New Stage today
After a period of 18 years independence (1992–2009) when the New Stage served as home stage for e ensemble Laterna magika, the New Stage became part of the National Theatre in January 2010, so did the Laterna magika ensemble.
The New Stage of the National Theatre serves nowadays as an open space for performing arts with its separate management, a separate managerial unit within the National Theatre. The programming focuses primarily on contemporary cultural trends. The spotlight is aimed at contemporary dance, progressive drama alternatives, interactive performances, urban culture phenomena, multimedia projects, family programs and more. The New Stage has been since January 2010 playing an active part at the cultural scene in Prague providing the original concept of creative artistic institution within the structure of National Theatre.
The New Stage is open to both Czech and international audience and the programming meets the needs of both audiences. The repertoire of the New Stage can be divided into three parts: performances by the Drama and Ballet Ensemble of the National Theatre and performances by the artistic ensemble Laterna magika. The remaining third of the repertoire is devoted to international guest performances, local and international co-productions, emerging artists in theatre and visual arts, contemporary dance, workshops, conferences, festivals and other accompanying programs. The repertoire of the New Stage includes also a wide-range of special projects and one-off events that take place both in the New Stage building as well as the piazzeta of the National Theatre.
By car
To the centre (Old Town), approach on Masarykovo nábřeží (Masaryk embankment) in the direction from the Dancing House, at the fork crossroads in front of the National Theatre turn right to Divadelní street and then right again to Ostrovní street to the National Theatre car park. Parking costs 50 CZK/h.
By tram
By daytime trams Nos. 6, 9, 18 and 22 or night trams Nos. 53, 57, 58, 59 to the stop “Národní divadlo”, by daytime tram No. 17 to the stop “Národní divadlo”.
By metro
To the station “Můstek”, line B (yellow), and then by foot along Národní street, or to the station “Karlovo náměstí” and then two stops by trams No. 6, 18 or 22 to the stop “Národní divadlo” To the station “Staroměstská”, line A (green), and then two stops by tram No. 17 to the stop “Národní divadlo”.