Tomáš JarkovskýCaslavska - Tokyo - 1964
Japanese translation: Yoko Yamaguchi
Direction: Jakub Vašíček
Set design: Kamil Bělohlávek
Music: Daniel Čámský
Assistent director: Yoshihiko Shibasaki
Dramaturgy: Tomáš Jarkovský, Yoko Yamaguchi
Dramaturgy cooperation: Petra Kosová
Translation cooperation: Nanako Ishida, Robin Heřman
Interpretation: Nanako Ishida
Animation and video production: Alina Sivets, Yoshihiro Shibasaki, Jakub Hora
Movement consultant: Hiromasa Kurihara, Adam Paulus
Production: Yoko Yamaguchi, Jakub Hora, Nobuko Ishida
Cast: Kristýna Franková, Martina J. Hartmannová, Daniel Horečný, Daniel Čámský, Mamika Kawajiry, Haruhi Shoji, Tomoya Arita
Technicians: Vojtěch Kadlec, Hiromasa Kurihara
Sound design: Jonáš Špaček, Takeshi Kawana
Light design: Vlastimil Vorda, Yasushi Ashibe
The production is suitable for children aged 9 and above.
Japanese premiere: August 2, 2024
Czech premiere: September 11, 2024
ABOUT THE PRODUCTIONOur production is not a historical reconstruction, but rather a fictional story with fantastical or fairy-tale motifs that merely stems from certain real events. Besides the birth of (not only) sports legend Věra Čáslavská, who won the hearts of both the Czech and Japanese public in her time, the production also tells another story. Half of the performing puppeteers are Czech and the other half are Japanese. Beyond the story itself, they explore our common and different characteristics and the inspiration we can draw from each other. Along with them, audiences of all ages, from children to adults, can also embark on this journey of discovery. Two sports commentators – one Japanese and one Czech – take us through the Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games, and thus the whole story, just like in a live broadcast. They comment, narrate, and translate everything. This makes the story comprehensible and, at the same time, partly mysterious for both Japanese and Czech audiences. The production combines various forms of puppet, object and shadow theatre and projections.
The production uses photographs from: the sources of the Věra Čáslavská Foundation, A. Novák, A. Bahenský. A. Toth, S. Tereba, J. Plachý, Q, Klemm, J. Endo, K. Kishimoto.
The production uses clips from the sources of Krátký film Praha a.s., Czech Television, Czech Olympic Committee.
The following songs are used in the production: Jindřich Brabec, Petr Rada: Prayer for Martha, Price Alan: House of the Rising Sun (adapted by The Animals)
Music used in the performance is licensed by OSA.
Puppets, decorations, costumes and props were made in the workshops of PUK Theatre by our dear colleagues from Tokyo under the direction of Mrs. Jajuji and in the workshops of ALFA Theatre under the direction of Ivo Motejl Jelinek by Ivana Hájková, Renata Kusová, Vlasta Šantorová, Adam Paulus and Miloslav Šlesinger.
The production was created with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, National Recovery Plan.
The programme was published in August 2024 by Divadlo ALFA, p.o., Rokycanská 7, 312 00 Plzeň. www.divadloalfa.cz. Ticket orders at obchodni@divadloalfa.cz.
Managing director of the theatre: MgA Jakub Hora.
Founder: the City of Pilsen.
Graphic design: Nanako Ishida, Petr Válek.
PEOPLE AND THE SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES
VĚRA ČÁSLAVSKÁ, married name: Věra Odložilová (May 3, 1942, Prague – August 30, 2016, Prague). Together with Emil Zátopek, Čáslavská is the greatest legend of the Czech sport, not only for her achievements, but also for her human attitude. During her phenomenal sports career, "Golden Věra" won 140 medals, became gymnastics world champion four times and European champion eleven times. With seven golds and four silvers, she is one of the most prominent figures in the history of the Olympic Games. Shortly after her triumphant return from Mexico, she was - as one of the symbols of the Prague Spring - interrogated by the State Security. Despite pressure, she refused to withdraw her signature from the Two Thousand Words manifesto, and she fell into disfavour and was unable to find work. After November 1989, Čáslavská returned to the limelight again as an advisor and assistant to President Václav Havel or as chairwoman of the Czechoslovak Socialist Party. She was also a member of the International Olympic Committee (1995-2001). For her sporting activities and civic attitudes, the four-time Czechoslovakia's Sportsperson of the Year received a number of honours. She is also a recipient of the National Medal of Merit (1995) and the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun (2010). TOKYO 1964 OLYMPICSThe Olympic Games were held on the Asian continent for the first time in history. Their greatest heroes were the American swimmer Don Schollander and the gymnast Vera Čáslavská, who became the darling of Japanese spectators. Czechoslovakia came ninth in the country medal count with fourteen valuable metals, the Americans being the most successful. The host country was third with 29 medals and was especially pleased with the performance of gymnast Yukio Endó, a multiple Olympic champion and world champion who won Japan's first Olympic gold in the individual all-around competition in 1964. ČÁSLAVSKÁ AT THE 1964 TOKYO OLYMPICSThe legend of Czechoslovak gymnastics, Věra Čáslavská, definitely gained worldwide recognition at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. She was twenty-one years old (at that time, gymnasts of that age still had most of their careers ahead of them) and impressed with her perfect performances, charm, and spontaneity. Japan as the host country fell in love with her the previous year, when she visited together with the Czechoslovak national team for the pre-Olympic competitions. At the 1964 Olympics, the bond only grew stronger - and in fact, it never really faded. Even long after her active career was over. JUKIO ENDO(Japanese: 遠藤 幸雄, Endō Yukio; January 18, 1937 – March 25, 2009) was a Japanese gymnast, multiple Olympic champion, and world champion. He was part of the first Japanese team to win Olympic gold medals in the team all-around at the 1960 Summer Olympics and 1962 World Championships. In 1964, he won Japan's first Olympic gold medal in the individual all-around. He was the flag bearer of the Japanese team at the 1968 Summer Olympics. At the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, he became friends with Czech gymnast Věra Čáslavská and their friendship lasted until the end of their lives. Yukio Endo's son attended one of the performances of the co-production of the Alfa Theatre and PUK Theatre in Tokyo and afterwards met the actors and creative team. LARISA SEMJONOVNA LATININA(Ukrainian: Лариса Семенівна Латиніна, Russian: Лариса Семёновна Латынина; born December 27, 1934, Kherson) is a former Soviet gymnast. From 1956 to 1964, she won 14 Olympic medals in individual competitions and four medals in team competitions, making her the most successful Olympian of all time.
SONGS
"Prayer for Marta""Prayer for Marta" is a song by Czech singer Marta Kubišová from 1968. The song became a symbol of Czech resistance to the occupation during the invasion of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact troops. Because of her civic attitudes, Marta Kubišová was persecuted by the communist regime after 1970 and was not allowed to do any public performances. In 1977, she signed Charter 77, which escalated her persecution by the State Security (StB). During the Velvet Revolution, she sang not only the Czechoslovak national anthem but also "Prayer for Marta" at a demonstration on 21 November 1989 on Prague's Wenceslas Square, which again became one of the symbols - this time of the Velvet Revolution. The lives of Věra Čáslavská and Marta Kubišová are similar in many ways. For both of them, their greatest fame was connected with the hopes of the second half of the 1960s. Both women became absolute stars in their time and in their field, their personality being very different from the contemporary expectations of a successful sportswoman or singer. Both later became symbols of resistance to the Soviet occupation and subsequently had to pay a high price for their bravery in the form of being removed from public life and a number of other persecutions by the regime. They returned to the limelight again with the Velvet Revolution, only to later go into seclusion again for various reasons. "Prayer for Marta"Lyrics: Petr Rada, Music: Jindřich BrabecMay peace still remain with this country Malice, envy, spite, fear and strife Let those pass, let them finally pass Now that your lost governance of your affairs Is returning to you, people, is returning The cloud is slowly flowing away from the sky And everyone is reaping what they've sown My prayer, let it speak To the hearts which, by the time of wrath Were not burnt, like flowers by frost, like by frost May peace still remain with this country Malice, envy, spite, fear and strife Let those pass, let them finally pass Now that your lost governance of your affairs Is returning to you, people, is returning SUKIYAKIOne of Japan's most popular songs from the 1960s, created by Kyū Sakamoto. The song's original title is "Ue wo Muite Arukō" (I Look Up as I Walk). The title "Sukiyaki" (Japanese pork dish) has no connection with the lyrics of the song. This title was used solely to make it easier for American listeners to pronounce. SUKIYAKIAuthor: Kjú Sakamoto Ue o muite arukō Namida ga koborenai youni Omoidasu haruno hi Hitoribocchi no yoru Ue o muite arukō Nijinda hoshi o kazoete Omoidasu natsuno hi Hitoribocchi no yoru Shiawase wa kumo no ueni Shiawase wa sora no ueni Ue o muite arukō Namida ga koborenai youni Nakinagara aruku Hitoribocchi no yoru Omoidasu akino hi Hitoribocchi no yoru Kanashimi wa hoshino kageni Kanashimi wa tsukino kageni Ue o muite arukō Namida ga koborenai youni Nakinagara aruku Hitoribocchi no yoru Hitoribocchi no yoru
I look up while I walk So the tears won't fall Remembering those spring days But tonight I'm all alone I look up while I walk Counting the stars with teary eyes Remembering those summer days But tonight I'm all alone Happiness lies beyond the clouds Happiness lies above the sky I look up while I walk So the tears won't fall I cry while I walk For I am alone tonight Remembering those autumn days But tonight I'm all alone Sadness hides in the shadow of the stars Sadness hides in the shadow of the moon I look up while I walk So the tears won't fall My heart is filled with sorrow For tonight I am alone For tonight I am alone
“The Girls Walked Along the Road”(Czech folk song) The girls walked along the road, along the road, along the road, They met two hunters, two hunters they were: Where are you going, girls, where are you going, where are you going? Which one of you will be mine, will be mine?