Entertainment - Prague and the Czech Republic - page 144

Black Light Theater
A kind of mime/modern dance variety show, Black Light Theater
has no language barrier and is, for many, more entertaining than a
classical concert. Unique to Prague, Black Light Theater originated
in the 1960s as a playful and mystifying theater of the absurd.
These days, aficionados and critical visitors lament that it's becom-
ing a cheesy variety show, while others are uncomfortable with the
sexual flavor of some acts. Still, it's an unusual theater experience
that most enjoy. Shows last about 90 minutes. Avoid the first four
rows, which get you so close that it ruins the illusion. Each theater
has its own spin on what Black Light is supposed to be:
Ta Fa n t a is t i k a is traditional and poetic, with puppets and
a little artistic nudity ( Aspects of Alice nightly at 21:30, 650 Kč,
reserved seating, near east end of Charles Bridge at Karlova 8, tel.
222-221-366, www.tafantastika.cz).
Image heatre has more mime and elements of the absurd,
with shows including Clonarium, Fiction, and The Best of Image:
“It's precisely the fact that we are all so different that unites us”
(shows nightly at 18:00 and 20:00, 480 Kč, open seating—arrive
early to grab a good spot, just off Old Town Square at Pařížská 4,
tel. [phone], www.imagetheatre.cz).
Laterna Magica, in the big, glassy building next to the
National Theatre, mixes Black Light techniques with film projec-
tion into a multimedia performance that draws Czech audiences
( Wonderful Circus, Rendezvous, Graffiti, shows Mon-Sat at 20:00,
no shows on Sun, 680 Kč, tel. [phone], www.laterna.cz).
The other Black Light theaters advertised around town aren't
as good.
Concerts
Each day, six to eight classical concerts designed for tourists fill
delightful Old World halls and churches with music of the crowd-
pleasing sort: Vivaldi, Best of Mozart, Most Famous Arias, and
works by the famous Czech composer Antonín Dvořák. Concerts
typically cost 400-1,000 Kč, start anywhere from 13:00 to 21:00,
and last about an hour. Common venues are two buildings on the
Little Quarter Square (the Church of St. Nicholas and the Prague
Academy of Music in Liechtenstein Palace); in the Klementinum's
Chapel of Mirrors; at the Old Town Square (in a different
Church of St. Nicholas); and in the stunning Smetana Hall in the
Municipal House (see page 147). The artists vary from excellent to
amateurish.
A sure bet is the jam session held every Monday at 17:00 at St.
Martin in the Wall, where some of Prague's best musicians gather
to tune in and chat with each other (400 Kč, Martinská street, just
north of the Tesco department store in the Old Town).