Cloudy

Letní Letná coming in August
Prague’s international festival of new circus and theater turns 13
The annual Letní Letná festival presents the best of New Circus, mixing acrobatics and theater without the use of animals.
Letní Letná, in its lucky 13th year, will take place again in tents located in Prague’s Letná Park, running from Aug. 18 to Sept. 4, 2016. The festival has become a successful platform for both well-established international and local contemporary circus and theater companies.
Most of the program has no language barrier, and shows that are “good for foreigners” are marked with a blue smiley emoticon in the program. Also, the age appropriateness of each show is marked.
Headliners in the main section include five acts from Australia, France and the Czech Republic.
The festival starts with Australian group Limbo, which sold out its first season at the 2013 Adelaide Fringe Festival and has since toured the world. They claim pop star Madonna twice came to see their self-titled show, which they modestly call “the greatest party between heaven and hell.” The cast includes a sword swallower from Coney Island and an international array of acrobats and contortionists, with music by Brooklyn-based Sxip Shirey.
They are not the only Australian act on the program. The group Circa from Brisbane presents their show Beyond. In the show, seven artists reveal their inner selves on multiple stages with trapeze stunts, Chinese poles, feats of strength and “multiple bunny heads.” UK newspaper The Guardian called the show “ridiculously charming.”
The New Circus movement began in France, and no festival would be complete without a French act. Cirque Le Roux is a quartet of performers who have created their own show called The Elephant in the Room, taking place during a wedding in 1937 on a luxurious estate. The group promises to create “a smoky world of intrigue, physical feats, slapstick and mystery” and will present a “unique and hilarious fusion of world-class circus, film noir and physical theater.”
Czech group Losers Cirque Company is back with a new show called Beach Boy(s), which has a retro California theme. They were at the festival with different shows in 2014 and '15.
Another returning act is Cahin-Caha from France. They are premiering a new one-man show called Bottom, about a tragic clown who goes through several transformations including a woman, an animal and a mythological being in order to find his inner complexity.
Aside from the main program, there is a program of Czech contemporary circus acts and projects for children including an urban summer camp.
Since its founding, Letní Letná has presented 1,162 shows attended by approximately 251,300 people. The festival is growing larger every year and expects this year to be no exception. Even through its increasing popularity, Letní Letná has been able to maintain a pleasant summer atmosphere, reminiscent of the old traditional circus times.
For more information about the festival and how to get tickets visit Letní Letná’s website at www.letniletna.cz.
Video on YouTube
Related articles
-
A Day Trip To Some Of The Best Castles by 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 by 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 by Brad McGregor
-
HBO’s The Sleepers Takes You Back to Prague 1989 by
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! by 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 by 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 by 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 by Michal Kráčmer
LESS LIBERTY, BETTER FUCKS
-
Festival 4+4 Days in Motion by 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 by 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.”
Facebook comments
Enjoy Prague from a different view
Authentic Italian cuisine in Prague
Best Irish Pub 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.