History of the Czech Puppet Theatre 1

Tutor:

Alica DUBSKÁ, Nina MALÍKOVÁ

Synopsis:

The aim of the lectures is to familiarise students with the basic developmental stages and personalities of Czech puppet theatre in broader social and cultural contexts. In the first semester the main focus is on traditional Czech marionette theatre and amateur puppetry up to 1945.

The lecture-course is for two semesters.

Prerequisites:

1. Survey of the history of Czech puppetry, general knowledge of the history of theatre

2. Knowledge of the basic dramatic texts

3. The leading puppeteers, wood-carvers, playwrights, directors etc.

4. Ability to work independently with documents, especially in the professional magazine The Puppeteer.

5. Visiting important productions from contemporary Czech puppet threatre.

Study Objectives:

1. Introducing students to the basics of Czech puppetry history

2. Understanding the history of puppet theatre as a phenomenon that changes over time and understanding that the changes occur within a context of social and cultural transformation.

3. Charting the basic stages of development, emphasising reasons for their peak periods and the causes of stagnation and crises.

4. Getting to know the decisive personalities, groups, dramatic works and productions. Highlighting the moments of inspiration for their own work.

Outline and Syllabus:

Curriculum:

1. Introduction to studying the history of Czech puppetry, basic chronology

2. Medieval puppetry productions and the beginnings of marionnette theatre in the Czech lands

3. The development of Czech folk puppet theatre from the middle of the 18th century to the middle of the 19th century

4. The repertoir, origin and thematic variety of plays by Czech folk puppeteers

5. Basic characteristics of the production style, set design and technical paramaters of traditional puppeteers

6. Czech puppetry of the second half of the 19th century, family puppet theatre

7. Formation of the Czech amateur puppetry program from the end of the 19th century, puppetry renaissance

8. Artistic puppet theatre in the inter-war period, artistic development of Josef Skupa, influence of the avant-garde on Czech puppetry in the 1930s.

9. Czech puppetry1939-1945.

Syllabus:

The interpretation of Czech puppet theatre is divided into three parts so that students can fully grasp the basic characteristics of individual stages of development and the personalities that created them: traditional Czech puppetry from the middle of the 18th century to the end of the 19th century, the Czech amateur puppetry movement in the first half of the 19th century and contemporary modern puppet theatre from 1945 to the present. Trends in Czech puppet theatre at the end of the 20th century are documented by changes in work by figures active during this period.

Emphasis is placed on the processes that accompany the origin of different movements, how their aesthetic approaches are superseded by each following stage, as well as the mutual connections and sources of inspiration. The interpretation is devised so that students can understand the broader contexts of these events and ultimately also grasp the latest developments.

The interpretation is accompanied by pictorial and audio materials, as well as video recordings.

Study materials:

A. Dubská: Two Centuries of Czech Puppetry

J. Bartoš: Komedie a hry českých lidových loutkářů (přečíst hry: Faust,

Posvícení v Hudlicích, Jenovefa + další rytířsko-loupežnickou hru)

Česká divadla - Encyklopedie divadelních souborů (hesla loutkářských souborů)

Cesty českého amatérského divadla (kapitoly o loutkovém divadle)

Z. Bezděk: Dějiny české loutkové hry do roku 1945 (povinně pro dramaturgy)

P. Vašíček, N. Malíková: Plzeňské loutkářství

sborník: Jan Malík: osobnost a tvůrce

Klíma, Miloslav, Makonj, Karel et al: Josef Krofta inscenační dílo

Supplementary literature:

J. Bartoš: Loutkářská kronika

J. Toman: Matěj Kopecký a jeho rod

J. Malík, J.V. Dvořák, J. and M. Šechtlovi: Svět loutek

F. Sokol: Svět loutkového divadla

J. Malík: Úsměvy dřevěné Thalie

P. Grym: Klauni v dřevácích

Note:

Schedule for winter semester 2008/2009:

	06:00–08:0008:00–10:0010:00–12:0012:00–14:0014:00–16:0016:00–18:0018:00–20:0020:00–22:0022:00–24:00
Mon
Tue	místnost S201 Hallerův sál () DUBSKÁ A. 10:30–12:00 (paralelka 1)
Fri
Thu
Fri

Schedule for summer semester 2008/2009:

The schedule has not yet been prepared

The subject is a part of the following study plans:

• Doporučený bakalářský produkce (optional subject)
• Doporučený bakalářský režie a dramaturgie ČD (optional subject)
• Doporučený magisterský dramaturgie ČD (optional subject)
• Doporučený magisterský dramaturgie ALD (optional subject)
• Doporučený magisterský režie ALD (optional subject)
• Doporučený magisterský scénografie ALD (optional subject)
• Doporučený bakalářský scénografie (optional subject)
• Doporučený magisterský scénografie - kostým a maska (optional subject)
• Doporučený bakalářský teorie a kritika (optional subject)
• Doporučený magisterský teorie a kritika (optional subject)
• Doporučený magisterský herectví ČD (optional subject)
• Doporučený magisterský režie ČD (optional subject)
• Doporučený magisterský herectví ATP (optional subject)
• Doporučený magisterský scénografie - film a televize (optional subject)
• Doporučený magisterský scénografie (optional subject)
• Doporučený magisterský herectví ALD (compulsory subject, optional subject)
• Doporučený bakalářský režie a dramaturgie ALD (compulsory subject, optional subject)
• Doporučený bakalářský scénografie ALD (compulsory subject, optional subject)
• Doporučený bakalářský dramatická výchova - komb. (optional subject)
• Doporučený magisterský dramatická výchova (optional subject)
• Doporučený magisterský dramatická výchova - dvouleté komb. (optional subject)
• Doporučený magisterský produkce (optional subject)
• Doporučený bakalářský herectví ATP (optional subject)
• Doporučený magisterský dramatická výchova - tříleté komb. (optional subject)
• Doporučený magisterský scénografie v anglickém jazyce (optional subject)