“Receiving this certification is not only a recognition of our work so far but also a motivation to keep exploring new ways to offer children meaningful and creative experiences. We deeply appreciate this recognition, which once again confirms the credibility of all our programs and activities,” said Drak Theatre Director Tomáš Jarkovský.

The certification is awarded to institutions that meet eight key criteria:

1. Children’s door to culture, an easily accessible public place of joy, beauty, and imagination
2. Home of interactive self-learning: trying out the unknown, wonder, and imagination – Learn by play!
3. Holistic development of children’s talents as a meaningful, multisensory experience
4. Children as equal members of society, imagining and working toward a better world
5. For all ages, bridging intergenerational gaps
6. A space for interaction and engagement – everyone’s voice matters
7. Navigating between reality and virtuality for both children and adults, with digital awareness
8. Connecting to global issues while acting locally, constantly adapting to what is needed

In the Czech Republic, only two other institutions have received this certification so far: Sladovna Písek and the Puppet Museum in Plzeň. Drak Theatre has thus become the third recipient, which testifies to its exceptional approach to children’s education through theatrical art. This achievement places Drak Theatre among the top European institutions focused on children’s education and culture.

Drak Theatre and its educational studio focus on connecting theatre with its audience through various artistic-educational activities. Its mission is to open the door to the world of theatre art and foster understanding and communication between the theatre and its visitors—be it families with children, the children and young adults themselves, school groups, or educators. The Labyrint Gallery offers interactive exhibitions, which are changed every year, along with the permanent exhibition The Story of Drak 1958–2018. Regular family Sunday creative programs and public space activities such as treasure hunts or audiowalks are also part of the program.

Tajemství divadelních prázdnin, foto: Milan Hajn

For more information about the label and/or to apply online, visit:
www.21stcenturychildren.eu or email: secretariat@hands-on-international.net

The Joy of Nonsense

This non-narrative production, loosely inspired by visual and graphic poetry, absurdist, surrealist, and Dadaist art, art brut, nonsense literature, and children’s rhymes, offers a unique opportunity for infants to encounter art for the first time. It gently introduces toddlers to the world of theatrical imagination alongside their closest loved ones. The production is part of the global trend of Theatre for Early Years (for audiences from 3 months to 3 years old), which in recent years has also taken root on Czech stages and is becoming a popular way for families to spend time together with their youngest children.

“What makes productions for the youngest audiences such a specific genre is the live interaction with the audience. It is often unpredictable, spontaneous, and thrillingly exciting. The actors must be constantly alert and ready for whatever the young viewers bring into the performance. The audience is seated directly on stage in close proximity to the action and the performers, allowing them to actively influence the course of the show. Everyone involved — actors, as well as stage technicians responsible for live music and, to a certain extent, live lighting design — is prepared to embrace this reality as part of the experience. Each performance thus has a completely unique dynamic,” explains dramaturge Barbora Kamenická Pokorná.

Jiří Ondra is currently one of the most prominent figures in theatre for children aged 0 to 3. While his theatrical work is not exclusively focused on this age group (he was the artistic director and resident director of Prague’s Theatre D21, worked as a director and dramaturge at the Theatre of Diversity in Most, and regularly collaborates with A Studio Rubín, among others), in recent years, productions for the very young have played a significant role in his work across Czech theatres.

To accommodate visits with children from 6 months of age, Divadlo Drak has prepared all the necessary facilities in the foyer of the studio stage. There will be space to park strollers, although due to limited capacity, visitors are kindly asked to prefer baby carriers or slings where possible. Changing tables and diaper bins will be available near the auditorium. In the performance space itself, young audience members can move freely, and it is possible to leave and return to the show at any time.

Check the REPERTOIRE page for more information and upcoming performances.

The festival is deeply rooted in Hradec Králové, which in 2025 celebrates 800 years since its first written mention. “It sounds like a double opportunity to reflect on the past, but we would rather look ahead. After all, visionary thinking and a desire to shape the future through the present are closely tied to the city’s most famous era and the founding ethos of our festival,” explains Tomáš Jarkovský, director of Drak Theatre. The theme New Symmetries refers not only to the city’s renowned architectural development but also to the ongoing transformation of society. “Symmetries are not just an aesthetic feature but a metaphor for the search for balance in today’s rapidly changing world. The festival will provide space for artistic interpretation and inspire audiences to see the present and future from a new perspective,” adds Eva Mikulková, director of Klicpera Theatre.

The visual identity of this year’s edition was created by graphic designer Přemysl Zajíček, who drew inspiration from the festival theme. “The visual style of the International Theatre Festival REGIONY responds to the theme New Symmetries, as defined by the festival’s dramaturgical board. The visuals create a playful and bold abstract environment where almost anything can happen. Repeating motifs form organic matter that reflects and forms symmetrical compositions or their fragments. The mathematical principle is disrupted by a distinctive human element, which acts as both a parallel and a connecting factor to today’s cultural scene and theatrical creation,” the designer explains.

The largest theatre showcase in the country will once again present over 300 diverse performances, ranging from experimental and alternative theatre, drama, dance, and puppet shows to immersive projects and musical acts. “The festival will host ensembles from across the Czech Republic and abroad, including theatres from Spain, Catalonia, Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Italy, and Slovakia. With more than thirty venues located in the historic city center, Hradec Králové will become a true theatre metropolis,” says Barbora Hodonická, director of the cultural non-profit kontrapunkt.

The festival is organized by Klicpera Theatre, Drak Theatre, and the cultural non-profit kontrapunkt, and will offer a rich program taking place in traditional theatre spaces as well as activating the public areas of the historic center and nearby park. The celebration of theatre in Hradec Králové is known for its unique atmosphere, reminiscent of world-class art festivals like the Avignon Theatre Festival or the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

The detailed program will be published at the end of April on the official website festivalregiony.cz. Ticket presales begin on May 12, with exclusive access for Klicpera Theatre subscribers starting on May 7. Tickets will be available online and at traditional outlets, including the Hradec Králové Information Center. Most outdoor events will once again offer free or voluntary admission, ensuring accessible artistic experiences for all.

Get ready for a week full of inspiration, visual and emotional stimuli, and new perspectives. Come and discover New Symmetries at the 30th edition of the REGIONY Festival!

Additionally, representatives of Drak Theatre, including Tomáš Jarkovský, the director, and Barbora Kalinové, the production manager, along with other committee members of the Czech National Centre of ASSITEJ: Luděk Horký (the chairman), Barbora Látalová, Zuzana Sikačová, Karola Štěpánová, Veronika Nádeníčková (the secretary) and Martina Pecková Černá, the Department of International Cooperation of the Arts Institute Head, attended the meeting of the World Congress and other professional events. Individual representatives of the Czech delegation also participated in specialized meetings dedicated to theatre for young audiences, dance, work with specific groups, research on theatre for children and youth (ITYARN Conference – International Theatre for Young Audiences), meetings with Slavic countries of Central and Southern Europe, and more. One of the points on the official congress agenda was also a presentation of the Czech National Centre of ASSITEJ and PerformCzech activities for professionals from around the world.

“We have returned after a very intense week, which was full of experience. Participating in an international event under specific conditions of such a massive scale was truly an exceptional experience for us. The trip was not without technical complications at customs, but everything was resolved thanks to the swift intervention and support of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Havana. Our special thanks go to Petr Kaván, the Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the Commonwealth  of the Bahamas, Martina Kavánová, and their colleagues. Everything turned out well in the end, and we are already looking forward to the next opportunities and challenges that participating in the Cuban festival and Congress will bring to Drak Theatre and theatre for children and youth in general,“ the director of Drak Theatre, Tomáš Jarkovský, commented.

The production Bedtime! was warmly receive by both the international audience and Cuban children. According to a member of the Cuban National Centre of ASSITEJ, who was involved in the dramaturgy of the festival, the production is familiar to everyone. It is based on a simple and well-known situation where children should go to bed, but suddenly discover an unexpected burst of energy and realize they are not sleepy at all yet. The production is designed for children aged three and up, while being at the intersection of poetic physical theatre and clownish grotesque. All three actors, Petra Cicáková, Luděk Smadiš and Dominik Linka demonstrate significant physical talent and a sense of gag. This is all accentuated by a visually clean stage design by Marianna Stránská, the stage lighting by Michal Kříž and the music by Jan Čtvrtník.

The Congress also included the election of the new Executive Committee of ASSITEJ International. The first off-site meeting of the newly composed committee will be hosted by our Czech National Centre and will take place from September 27, 2024 to October 3, 2024, in Prague. This event will be in collaboration with the KUK festival for the very young audiences at the culture centre Vzlet in Prague and other Czech theatres for children and youth.

This excursion and the whole presentation of Drak Theatre and the Czech National Centre of ASSITEJ   at the 21st ASSITEJ World Congress & Performing Arts Festival for Children & Young People in Havana were carried out in collaboration with PerformCzech / the International Cooperation Department of the Arts Institute – the Theatre Institute and with the support of the Ministry of Culture and the National Recovery Plan. We highly appreciate this support.

There are currently several productions on the Drak Theatre’s repertoire that are completely wordless:

Mont St. Gumboot

What a challengel!

Bedtime!

Log leg

George Melies’ Last Trick

Selected productions are presented with subtitles. Exact dates of the performances with English subtitles you can find in the monthly programme marked with the ENGLISH FRIENDLY label.

In Oslo, Drak will present two productions from its repertoire representing its contemporary work for different age groups. Veronika Poldauf Riedlbauchová’s Bedtime! for the youngest audiences from the age of 3 will be staged two times, and Drak Theatre and Prague City Theatre’s co-production project for teenagers Antigona will be staged five times. The programme for teenagers also includes two workshops led by the Drak Theatre’s lector. The tour is supported by the National Recovery Plan, the Status of the Artist – Mobility II.

“Such a large-scale trip to Norway is a great opportunity for us to present and further develop our projects for teenagers, for whom Kloden Teater and its artistic director Kjell Moberg are valuable partners, as well as to establish contacts with Norwegian promoters and representatives of the national programme The Cultural Schoolbag.” said Tomáš Jarkovský, director of the Drak Theatre.

Kloden Teater is quite unique in the context of Norwegian theatre for children and youth. The idea of creating this national theatre for children and young people in Oslo was born around 2000 from an initiative of The Norwegian Network for Performing Arts.Kloden Teater was founded in 2015 and has been operating at its current location on Kabelgata Street since 2019.
After several years of pilot operation in the current premises, a new theatre building of over 3500 m2 has been designed, which includes two permanent stages, rehearsal rooms, workshops and a café.Construction will start at the end of 2023.
Kloden Teater concentrates Norwegian work for young audiences and brings inspiring projects from abroad. It regularly hosts festivals such as Showbox, The National Hedda Festival and GoFigure Festival for Figurative Theatre.Kloden also has a strong focus on working with minorities and aims to open its spaces to different social groups. An important part of its activities is its teen programming and work with teenagers.

The tour also aims to present Drak Theatre’s work for for the Norwegian national programme The Cultural Schoolbag, which ensures that all school-age children in Norway come into contact with culture and professional art. The project is part of the government’s cultural policy for pupils and students from primary to secondary school.