Visuals for a theatre performance, 2023
National Theatre in Praguedirector: Martin Frič, set design: Dragan Stojčevski
Euripides' play The Bacchantes brings to Stavovske Theatre in particular the themes of humility and revenge, crowd madness, but also travesty. The original myth, as well as Euripides' drama, is permeated by the idea of irreconcilability and an unsolvable contest between the instinctual and rational dimensions of life. It is a violent clash of two fanaticisms – religious fanaticism, to which Dionysus lends power, and fanaticism personified by state power in the form of Pentheus. Bacchantes are a celebration of wine, freedom, but also moderation and humility. The refrain of the production is "I'm sorry, I'm very sorry". What exactly is humility? Who am I in relation to others? How to be part of a team and at the same time not drown in it? Dionysus is the god of wine, and Greek drama developed from religious celebrations in his honor. When we play about Dionysus and the Bacchantes, we are actually playing about the meaning of theater and the meaning of a theatrical event. The production of Bacchantka is a celebration of this intrinsically human pastime. An artificial, if no less spiritual cult. The production Bakchantky became the Production of the Year 2023 of the Theater Critics Awards.
