Czech Community Theatre: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

So, I have not milked any goats or chopped any wood yet, but I have seen a play. I arrived at the farm after a two hour walk Friday, getting lost and only finding my way as a result of friendly Czech youths, but when I got to the farm, I found a note posted on the door, saying the family was at the local theatre, practicing for their upcoming Shakespearean production.

Okay.

It was an odd few inaugural hours into the community. This version of the comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream had a modern, hippy theme, so I saw a lot more bellbottoms and tie-dye than I am used to. But I must say, the final product was quite enjoyable.

The director is a local star and actress who lives down the road. Her stage direction, though in Czech so I could not understand it, seemed to be well received and performed by the cast during the dress rehearsals.

I am not going to summarise the plot of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (that is a job for Sparknotes), but I will say it was abridged to save some time. However, multiple musical numbers and extended dance scenes were added in.

It definitely kept it fresh for the audience who ranged from toddlers to grandparents. The whole Liberec community came out to see it.

There was a lot of music from the Beatles as well as at one point, even a belly dancing performance, which was definitely one of the highlights for me. Did I forget to mention besides being a great EDM (Electronic Dance Music) dancer, I am a trained belly dancer? That’s for another time.

Obviously the performance took place outdoors, which was good since there were at least 300 in attendance. Last year apparently, there were upwards of 400 spectators. Everyone was worried about the weather since it has been pretty sh*tty here and in central Europe in general for the last week; we lucked out though.

The community has been doing these plays for a few years now and is just good fun for the neighbourhood. Admission was free, but the refreshments costed a little.

The portion in which the king is present and everyone greets him was just precious. I was wondering what the elderly gentleman was doing at the dress rehearsals.

It finally clicked when he was in an old military uniform during the actual performance, but I was surprised he brought his wiener dog along with him like he did in rehearsal. I’m not complaining though.

The troupe had been working for about five months prior to the premiere. They worked on choreography, props, music, and over the top stage combat including amateur acrobatics. I think Czech people generally are modest; I was told multiple times that it was nothing and just silly, but the show seemed professional enough for me.

With this performance finished, Hynek and rest of the family can get back to the regular routine, which means it is finally time to do some farm work.

I am a little nervous that I won’t be up to the level they expect me to be or the task. But hey, we will see. I have done this before and have already offered to teach them how to make kimchi. I am already showing some of my worth. Time to WWOOF!

Get ready for some new articles about farm life, Czech cuisine, and the surrounding area! The food here is phenomenal and traditional by the way. Also, stay up to date on all my happenings (especially if I cannot post all the time with this internet) by following Expat-tern’s Instagram and Twitter! I swear; I am getting better at using both. Stay tuned and travel safe.