English/reviews

Prof. Miloš Horanský, director, poet and teacher: Hana Strejčková´s collage is sparkling with dance-movements, it´s textual and song-filled playful as well as tenderly educationally-visual. The solid dramaturgy construction is splendid, and it also provides for enough room for playfulness and semi-improvised scenes (3x) when children from the audience get the chance to participate… - A truly precious and enlivening aspect. The leimotif is being told clearly, yet not in a stubborn manner throughout the whole performance: necessity, strength, attractiveness as well as the emotional and ethical need for a home. The music within this performance is intense, yet not overused – live music, percussion and recorded music. This dialogue, and this dual sound in itself is surprisingly effective. The scenography whose centre is represented by a kind of cosy little home at the back on the right side which is – the family. Plus there´s free space for playfulness. A horizon on which children´s paintings are being projected very well, which is because the projection is done soberly… On the left and on the right side, the room is delimited by the conception of a housing estate (symbolized by appropriate lights). This whole picture is governed by phantasy and free creativeness that´s so closely linked to a child´s world. The production´s suggestiveness is highlighted by intertwining the adults´ and the children´s, the puppets´ and music´s world as well as by the sphere of creativeness. A manifested three-dimensional scenic poetry.

Simona Mikešová, dance teacher, Pilsen: „Thank you for this fabulous performance and for fulfilling our expectations. An inventive, colourful, child-friendly, creative, surprising, playful, wonderful performance. The mothers mentioned that their children were enraptured by all this that they hardly fell asleep afterwards…wonderful!!!”


Pavla Šímová, mother, Prague: “A wonderful untraditional performance not only for children but also for adults :-). A magical entrance into the child´s colourful world full of hope…accompanied by magnificent music. I heartily recommend this :-).“

Renata Hostalková, teacher and mother, Prague: „The children loved the performance, they enjoyed it and danced from the beginning until the end. It was nice to see how the children enjoyed individual light-cones shining on the floor. I personally felt moved by the performance frequently, it literally touched me deep inside. Yet now, I´m not able to say in which part of the performance exactly this happened. It simply was the right thing for me.“


„Hana Strejčková´s new authorial performance including specific dance movements and visual effects is just as preciously fragile as the author is herself. She took real children and their view of the world as a starting point, as she had the opportunity of getting acquainted with the little ones
during creative workshops organized at selected elementary schools. This world is merely contrasted with the adults´ reality. Yet it isn´t changed on the Ponec theatre stage to fit the shapes and ideas “adults” have. This creates a unique atmosphere, in which a whole story of a family and its home is being shown on the stage with the children being directly involved.“ (Zuzana Smugalová, Dance Blog, 28. 12. 2015)
Review: https://blogotanci.blogspot.cz/2015/12/mezi-nami-v-ponci.html


„The Mezi námi/Among us performance introduces the children into a world of perceiving their home as a space where they are living with together with their siblings, parents and grandparents. The home itself appears as an environment, in which the children establish their relationship toward people through plays, where they get to know the world surrounding them and where they develop their phantasy. Home does not only represent a home-like atmosphere, but transcends the limits of the physical home itself reaching a broader horizon – trying out one´s home country naturally and reaching a transcendental scale while looking at a starry sky. The children can not only participate in the performance as spectators but may also take part as actors on stage and even play on stage which teaches them to demonstrate their own initiative and maybe even makes them become aware of different roles they fulfil when they are growing up.” (Miroslav Zvelebil,
publicist, scientist and theologian)

"Mezi námi/Among us premiered during the Advent season, a time scented with mulled wine and cinnamon. During a time of nostalgic memories to our childhood. The memories of back then. I remember the children starting to dance spontaneously and their shining eyes. The noises made by child feet and the tiny bodies dancing. All this accompanied by enchanting music. So tender, so…Even the end of the performance is only seemingly an end. Most children remain on stage dancing over and over again. Yet without any help or guidance. They spontaneously select their own dance creations. They suddenly have wings and they are flying. They are flying with an absolutely natural lightness. They are being creative in a way which only they themselves can do. Hana Strejčková´s performance tenderly wakens up memories and ideas, and we are given the opportunity to wander along the paths to our home, to our childhood, until finally reaching the unforgettable stars. It´s simply beautiful." (Lada Horešovská, teacher)