Martin Sládeček: Giving attention to joy

Veronika Onheiserová: Martin, the season of Oni! is in its halfway point - how do you evaluate the two new premieres so far?

Martin Sládeček: We rode into the season on a bicycle and pretty hard - in the case of our first production, Someday the Kids Will Thank Us, we tried to explore the theme of culture wars and radicalization, which can affect all of us, in the story of a food delivery person. The production in the basement, called From the Sexual Life of Our People, was conceived as a vernissage and approached the issue of current changes in the social relationship to our sexuality and sexual identity. Both productions are linked by an interest in current topics that stir emotions and sometimes even divide society, the courage to talk about them and the desire to connect through playfulness and humour... This is particularly important for us at Provázek. We strive to be a space for open, curious, civically active people who share a creative relationship to the world and the courage to face the challenges of our time head-on, and perhaps even with humour... Given how quickly the next reruns of our new titles have sold out, and the rapid growth of our audience base, I get the impression that there are a lot of such people in Brno...

What can the audience of Provázek look forward to in the new year?

The ride through the season will continue with Ordinary Detective Comedy (About Who Broke Up the Family), which will respond to the recent debate around the equal marriage act. I'm looking forward to seeing Honza Kolařík as the white heterosexual detective, as well as the entire ensemble, directed by their colleague Tereza Volánková, explaining what this "normal" or "traditional" family actually is. Finally, we will get a glimpse of ourselves through our relationship to Slovakia, Slovak men and women with a staged open-air concert of the greatest Slovak hits called I'm saving you a spot directed by our in-house director Anna Davidová, starting with the formation of a new Provazek band. After all, we are dedicating the entire May–June festival provázek.open as a gesture of interest in the events in Slovakia and solidarity with the local cultural scene to Slovak guests. There are more festivals in store for us - I am looking forward to the first annual senior theatre festival, initiated by our amateur Studio 60+, and to a trip to Prague, where we will traditionally present all our new works in the spring.

What would you wish to the Provázek audience in the new year?

Not only for the Provázek audience! I would wish all of us attentive eyes, which in all personal and social uncertainties and difficulties can undoubtedly discover not only opportunities to deepen oneself, but also still reasons for joy and rejoicing. I myself meet many of them in the corridors, in the auditorium and on the stage of Provázek, in fact in the whole of Brno. And I like to give them attention.