Invasion
Dutch-Czech project „Invasion“, premiered September 6th in The Hague, The Netherlands.
The project was a part of the programme „The Autumn 2008“, partly focused on the anniversary of the Prague Spring of 1968.
The „Invasion“ project is a military street invasion into your town. It consists of several scenes reminiscing the atmosphere of the attempt to humanize socialism, of the military invasion of the „five friendly countries“ and the wave of emigration that followed.
…at the beginning, we see a group of one-meter heads. A politician’s speech is roaring, then the occupants – invaders (or “ins”) come and, alongside with a huge tank and loud music, set off into the streets. The commandant blows a whistle and the ins connect themselves to a tank with a tape which they use to annex the land around them – they invade it.
Their journey is full of details: interdiction signs (family banned, punk banned, flowers, freedom, jazz – all banned) and banner headings (get away, poisoned water, infected women, stuck out tongue, closed tank service shops…). They meet a number of puppets, representing various types of human characters. Ins perform a pantomimical dialogue with each of them, the characters behave like the Czech people after the invasion: capitulation, resistance, revenge, ignorance, informers, political jugglers etc. Some of the puppets are then dragged behind the tank and imprisoned. The prison itself is built as a cozy 1970s appartment – TV set, lamp, carpet, ashtray, mess tins, foot heater, bathrobe made from synthetic materials, bed and an armchair – prefab furniture etc.).
The last to be annexed is… Well, that’s a surprise; get annexed and you’ll see.
Download high resolution photos for print:
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Watch a video here or on YouTube (opens in a new window)
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