At home, Hans Böhm speaks French, German, and Czech because his parents and maids come from different language backgrounds. But at the summer camp where he likes to go to, they tell him that the Germans are the best and the others are inferior. And he has his best friends there, especially Karel. They even play in a band together! The young Sudeten Švejk has to go to war with a real mess inside his head. But times are harsh – he must decide now. And his decisions can mean life or death for him and the people he meets. Thank God, he can speak languages! Especially Czech! Such a non-global language and it can help elude capture and death by the skin of his teeth…A non-hero from a small village in western Bohemia (Holýšov) is making his way through war-torn central Europe and even after the war, his situation keeps getting complicated… What shapes us? What are we capable of, driven by the instinct of self-preservation? How strong are our inner moral imperatives? Theatre inspired by a true story.
The production was created as part of the European Connect UP project.
About the theatre:
The ALFA Theatre started its activities as a puppet theatre in 1966 and to this day it focuses on production for children and teenagers. One of its dramaturgical lines is based on the roots of Czech folk puppeteers and develops their legacy in the context of contemporary puppet theatre, the other line examines alternative puppetry approaches to classical titles or original theatre. In addition to productions for the youngest ones, the ensemble is looking for a way to reach the demanding teenage audiences, also through European projects. Thanks to their masterful work with puppets, ALFA is a sought-after guest at many domestic and international festivals. Since 1967, the ALFA Theatre has been organizing the Skupa's Pilsen festival.