
Fringe Review: La Ronde
For many years critics wrongly underestimated the piece, dismissing it as a mere boulevard comedy of more than usual naughtiness; but distance has proved La Ronde to be an important expression of its time and, more frightening an accurate mirror of our own social chaos. The play has an interesting and controversial history:
Arthur Schnitzler wrote "Der Reigen" (La Ronde) during the winter of 1896-1897 but he did not have it printed until 1900 and then only in a private edition of about 300 copies. When the first published edition appeared in 1903, it was condemned as obscene and banned. At the premiere in Berlin, in 1920, six hundred members of the fledgling Nazi party stormed the theatre not only because of the play’s purported immorality, but also because Schnitzler was Jewish. The manager of the theatre and all of the actors were subsequently taken to trial on charges of public indecency, but the charges were later dismissed. Schnitzler was so upset by the reaction his play had elicited that he banned it from ever being performed in his lifetime. Schnitzler died in 1931, shortly before Hitler came to power.
The sophisticated perceptions of a scientist and the soul of an artist – these gifts made Schnitzler particularly well suited to diagnose the ills of his society by means of literature. The theme that pervades his work is the problem of communication, whether it is at a social level as expressed in Doctor Bernhardi and Lieutenant Gustl, or at a personal level as expressed in La Ronde and Anatol. This theme, combined with his spare, graceful, psychologically astute style, made him “the poet of loneliness.” Certainly he is a writer for our age, as well as his own.
But what about this production now? Kompani Krapp from Norway presents a modern day version of La Ronde in English (excellently spoken and articulated). The best thing about the production is stolen straight out of David Hare’s two person adaptation of the play--Blue Room—the addition of timing the sexual encounters between the lovers. In this production, the device is conveyed through a series of interesting short films that both comment on and reveal the absurdity of the action. The second best thing about the production is the elfin DJ constantly spinning and observing the action onstage.
The performers uniformly are solid and appealing, if somewhat young for some of the roles. The problem is that La Ronde has become so much a part of our vernacular, so much engrained in our modern sensibility that it does not resonate with the depth the original production surely must have produced in sensitive audience members. The production makes nothing of the fact that the play is also a comment on the rampant spread of venereal disease and that we are meant to feel some sympathy that all of the characters will one day succumb to a painful death because of their sexual adventures.
Only one scene has any modern day relevance—a transformation of the Little Miss character into a modern-day Spanish gigolo played with great specificity and humor by Israel Jesus Elias Corral. Maybe that is the key—perhaps in today’s world where pornography is openly displayed on television, in shops and on street corners, every scene must be updated with HIV-inflected gay, straight, bi-sexual and poly-amorous people—all the scenes transformed into threesomes and other alternative, non-traditional encounters.
If you do not know La Ronde go see the production—it is an important play in the history of theatre, if however you know the play and want to experience the deeply disturbing effect the play must have originally intended, check out In A Thousand Pieces.
-
A Day Trip To Some Of The Best Castles Shaun O'Banion
The results are in and the most popular Czech castles (based on the number of visitors) have been announced by the Czech state.
-
The upcoming TEDxUNYP event: Inspiration in a complicated world Paul Lysek
What is TEDxUNYP? Who is invited? Why would one attend? These were the various questions going through my head when I spoke to Mark Anderson , TEDxUNYP Organizer & Licensee.
-
Films to Watch at this Year’s One World Festival Brad McGregor
-
HBO’s The Sleepers Takes You Back to Prague 1989
If you’re familiar with award-winning HBO’s Chernobyl, then you will love HBO’s new mini-series The Sleepers.
-
JOJO RABBIT, shot in the Czech Republic, receives six Academy Award nominations (including Best Picture) and six BAFTA nominations! Shaun O'Banion
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the nominees for the best in cinema for 2019 and among the nominees was Taika Waititi’s JOJO RABBIT which stars Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, newcomer Roman Griffin Davis, and Thomasin Mackenzie.
-
WATCH: Hungarian PM Victor Orbán Booed at Reopening of Prague State Opera House Caroline Marcela
On Sunday Evening, Hungarian PM Victor Orbán was received with jeers and boos from protesters as he attended the reopening of the State Opera House gala event. Protesters shouted out ‘hanba’, meaning shame in Czech as he exited his private car.
-
'Movie Barf Monday' - a weekly English friendly film night Ryan Keating
Movie Barf and Edison Filmhub are thrilled to present 'Movie Barf Monday' - a weekly English friendly film night dedicated to screening a diverse variety of award-winning contemporary and classic films in the new Edison Filmhub cinema and bar located in Prague's old town.
-
The Prague Orgy - a new Czech film in English in Czech cinemas Michal Kráčmer
LESS LIBERTY, BETTER FUCKS
-
Festival 4+4 Days in Motion Eliška Míkovcová (4+4 Festival)
Festival 4+4 Days in Motion to start in Desfours Palace, this year’s slogan is Nobody Has Anything
-
Lunchmeat Festival 2019—Dark Stars on the Horizon Tony Ozuna - (Photo Lunchmeat Festival)
Lunchmeat Festival returns to Prague at the end of September as the leading arena for cutting-edge electronic music and with more audio-visual punch than ever before. Their new motto is a challenge to the mainstream: “obsessed with audio-visual mindf**cks— & those who question the status quo.”
Best Irish Pub in Prague
Authentic Italian cuisine in Prague
Discover the history of Prague’s famous Charles Bridge
Trabant Museum @ STK Motol
Armádní muzeum Žižkov
Národní památník hrdinů heydrichiády

Prague’s # 1 source for Czech news in English…
.png)
Digital lifestyle magazine platform promoting life in Prague.