2024-08-13 10:09:19
Amateur theater is doing well in the Czech Republic, it attracts young people and the quality of volunteer ensembles is growing, says Jan Julínek, program director of the Jiráskúv Hronov International Amateur Theater Festival. It started in Hronov the Friday before last, and ends this Saturday. This year, too, he offered the best amateur theater productions.
“Recently, I have noticed an increased interest in amateur theater among young people. A lot of young volunteer groups are emerging, which largely make up author’s theater. Many young volunteers are engaged in their own work and try to express themselves about the topics that bother them. At least that’s how I perceive it through our festival,” sums up Jan Julínek.
According to him, the themes of interpersonal relations and various discriminations prevail. “In previous years, the topics of covid and the war in Ukraine resonated. This year, I don’t see any central theme. Every year it is a surprise for us what the volunteers come up with,” continues Julínek. “With the young generation of volunteers, I observe that they are more critical of what they see on stage and express their opinion. I also see a shift in the fact that there are more things intended for smaller spaces,” he adds.
An amateur ensemble that wants to play in the main or accompanying program of Jiráskova Hronov has to go through regional and regional shows. From there, expert juries can send them to national shows. Ensembles that impress at national shows will then be given the opportunity to participate in Jiráskova Hronov. Anyone who applies and is selected by the festival’s dramaturgical board can present in the free program.
According to Julínek, only a fraction of volunteer ensembles enter the system of progressive parades. “The vast majority of amateur theaters in the Czech Republic operate only on an internal basis, locally,” he points out.
This year’s 94th edition of Jiráskova Hronov offered over 100 amateur and professional performances in the main and accompanying programs. There were also concerts, lectures, creative workshops, discussions, seminars and exhibitions. “This year was a success, I can say for the organizing team that we are all very satisfied. Around 11,000 tickets were sold to the main playing areas and around 37,000 to 40,000 people took part in the free program in the park,” Julínek announces.
The festival took place in several places in the city of 6,000, namely in the Jirásk Theater, in the Josef Čapek Hall, in Sokolovna, and the Black Box at the winter stadium became a novelty for a more intimate, alternative theater. The free program was centered on the square, on two stages in the Aloise Jiráska park and in the courtyard of the Hronov rectory.
“There was an absolutely great atmosphere at the festival throughout the week, both among the performers and the audience. The festival completely fulfilled its mission of being the top amateur theater festival. As for the theaters, the vast majority of performances were sold out. We were surprised by the audience’s interest. Before each performance, they waited to see if there would be any seats available,” says Julínek.
According to him, few ensembles that come to the festival want to perform on the main stage in the Jiráské Theater. “They want to play more in contact with the audience. That’s also why we came to the winter festival with Black Box this year. Of course, a number of traditional ensembles also come, which use the traditional space of the stage,” concludes Julínek. According to him, fears from the time of the coronavirus pandemic that interest in amateur theater would decline have not come true.
The organizers call Jiráský Hronov the oldest theater show in Europe, probably in the world. The festival was established in 1931 and was not interrupted by the Second World War or the recent covid-19 pandemic.
Since 1991, foreign ensembles have also participated in it. It was recognized as a Czech cultural heritage and received, for example, an award from the International Association of Amateur Theater, which included it among the seven most important festivals of this type in the world.
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