Known for Acting
It seems almost unbelievable, but it has been 30 years since István Örkény's Cat's Play premiered on the stage of the former Tyl Theatre, now the Stavovský Theatre, with Dana Medřická and Vlasta Fabiánová in the lead roles. It has been performed 403 times and has become a true cult production of the 1970s and early 1980s. The story of two sisters, whose lives are divided by the Iron Curtain, resonated with the audience with its truthfulness. In Dana Medřická's interpretation, the character of Erža Orbánová has also become a symbol of indomitable optimism despite the poverty of life. Not only this production, but also the acting performance of Dana Medřická and Vlasta Fabiánová have become legends during their lifetimes.
Oldrich is the runt of his village, beaten by his father, bullied by the other boys. But he has imagination on his side, and a wiry toughness they can’t defeat. The village is in turmoil, because the Nazi occupiers have just retreated and the Red Army is advancing. Oldrich dodges amid the mayhem and panic, taking his share of blows but always managing to stay one step ahead. Beautifully shot and darkly ironic, Karel Kachyna’s forgotten masterpiece jumbles reality, memory and fantasy to capture the intensity and confusion of childhood in a war zone.
Six-year-old Anička Čejková has moved with her parents from the village to a new housing estate in Prague. For now, she and her father are alone, but her mother is due to return from the hospital soon with her newborn Ondřej. Anička gets lost during her first walk around the neighborhood, but a nice young woman helps her. She is teacher Řeháková, in whose class 1. And soon Anička will start. The first-graders like the school, and when Anička confides in them that her mother will be back soon, they decide to give her a festive welcome.
An American spy agency located in West Germany is interested in information concerning Czechoslovak commercial activities in the Middle East. Agent Rudolf Karlik creates a network of associates in Prague...
