Theatre in Prague

Walking through Prague, it can often feel as though there’s a theatre on every other block, particularly in the Old Town where people assail you with fliers for a variety of black light performances. With so many options, it can be difficult to choose which ones to visit. Of the black light theatres, Ta Fantastika and Image stand out with their original productions. Both use black box tricks along with creative direction, puppets, and wide screen projections, as well as live actors, singers, and dancers to create the surreal effects of black light theatre. The Laterna Magika also puts on a decent show, but it’s not worth the amount of money they charge.

Most productions are in Czech, but the number of theatres offering English subtitles is increasing. The Svandovo Divadlo in particular does its best to accommodate its English-speaking guests. Usually about half of the plays on the bill have English subtitles. The Divadlo Archa is also extremely popular, offering a wide variety of traditional and new-wave theatre. It is also a great venue for live music. Other popular venues include the Vinohrady Theatre, the Divadlo v Reznicke, and the Divadlo Ungelt.

The golden-roofed National Theatre is an obvious choice for opera, drama, or ballet. As well as offering top-notch performances, the Narodni Divadlo has great historical significance as a symbol of the Czech cultural revival.

Prague also offers special seasonal theatre events, such as the Prague Fringe Festival in early June and the “Shakespeare at the castle” performances at Prague Castle in the summer. Also, throughout the month of August, Strelecky Island is transformed into Theatre Island, offering special performances of Czech theatre and puppetry.

Tickets can be purchased from the box office at most venues or through ticket agencies like Ticket Pro or PIS. At large venues like the National Theatre, tickets can be bought directly from the venue’s website (www.narodni-divadlo.cz).