Wise Children

Twins Dora and Nora Chance receive an invitation to the 100th birthday of their father, Melchior Hazard. A great Shakespearean actor, he has steadfastly denied being their father all his life in order to protect his reputation. The invitation sets off a joyous recounting of the artistic and personal adventures of two retired musical singers and dancers who, as they themselves point out, are nearly two centuries old between them. At the family celebration, the sisters recount their juicy backstage stories, full of romantic twists and affairs, with fitting irreverence. Layers of time overlap and intertwine; youth and old age cease to matter – what matters is that we are together, and happily so. What a joy to dance and sing!

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The work of British writer Angela Carter (1940–1992) remains relatively little known in the Czech Republic, despite her status as a major figure of magical realism. In her novel, Carter gradually infuses reality with dreamlike elements, making room for a riotous carnival atmosphere. High and low art collide: Shakespeare, musicals, cabaret. This hedonistic portrait of theatrical communities, prominent “theatre families” and the English artistic milieu across the 20th century – in all its glamour and misery – bears a striking resemblance to our own present. Wise Children (1991) will receive its Czech premiere at HaDivadlo, directed by Kamila Polívková, a regular collaborator of the theatre.