In the spirit of the famous Czechoslovakian tradition of conversations between comedic duos (such as Voskovec + Werich, Horníček + Werich, Suchý + Šlitr, Šimek + Grossman, Lasici + Satinský and here Spejbl + Hurvínek) with their renowned detached cynicism, they comment on important questions such as: Who’s leading the way? Which way is it? Are they going away? How could they, no way!!!

During the entirely original mental and linguistic gymnastics of Spejbl and Hurvínek, the audience discovers the duo’s life is heading off the rails, or more like off the strings.

Martin Klásek continues the authorial dialogs of S+H in the spirit of Miloš Kirschner and Helena Štáchová and keeps the tradition alive and well.

Written by | Martin Klásek
Dramaturgy | Ondřej Lážnovský
Music | Jiří Toufar
Director | Ondřej Lážnovský
Creative stage design | Dušan Soták
Technology, stage and puppet manufacture| Dušan Soták

Just like 40 years ago, Mr. Spejbl will start writing a musical to pay for his debts. In the ghostlike atmosphere of a Parisian mansard that witnesses Spejbl’s creative agony, you will see the vampire slayer Hurvínek, the enterprising nymphoManicka, the hound of the Baskervilles alias Zeryk and Mrs. Katerina fighting for Spejbl’s love with the French decadent singer Poulet. Come to our theatre starting in October 2014 to see how it will all end up when the jovial Count Dracula wakes up at night.

The creative team of Miki Kirschner – Robin Král – Jan Lstibůrek invite you to their non-traditional musical performance for adults. Spejbl and Hurvínek meet noir for the first time!

The darker atmosphere, detective plot, terrifying song and dance that make even a puppet’s blood run cold. There’s a murderer stalking the town and it’s up to Spejbl to catch him tonight, but where has Hurvínek gone?

What sins weigh down Spejbl the father and what mysteries or dark secrets is his son Hurvínek hiding? The authors will reveal all in a patchwork knit from the grotesquely cynical black and white detective movies of the nineteen forties.

Director | Miki Kirschner
Song lyrics | Robin Král
Stage / design | Miki Kirschner
Manufacture | Richard Maška
Puppet designs | Miki Kirschner
Technology and puppet carving | Antonín Müller and Ivan Moravec
Music| Jan Lstibůrek

(S+H Theatre Golden Fund)
We have selected this play as the opening performance of the “S+H Theatre Golden Fund” series because it is one of our most successful performances for adults. The play was staged for the first time in 1932 under the title “Spejbl versus History.” The 1970 version of the play, staged under the title “History versus Spejbl,” was awarded Skupa‘s Prize at Skupa‘s 4th Pilsen Festival. The final editing of the play‘s text for this conformance was performed by Miloš Kirschner. Nonetheless, shortly after its introduction, the play was banned by censorship. In the present series, we have decided to present a number of remarkable performances for adults, that appeared throughout the 80 years of our theatre‘s professional activity. History versus Spejbl is the first. The authors of this performance intended to reflect upon the fate of many wonderful inventions, which could have served mankind but instead ended up being abused.

On May 2, 2011, Hurvínek turned 85. As a commemorative present for this ageless urchin, a special show was devised comprising of the most famous scenes and dialogues that have delighted the couple’s fans over the years. The conversations between father and son are supplemented by a variety show of puppets.

Generations have enjoyed the humorous dialogues between Spejbl, Hurvínek, Mánička and Kateřina. In this performance, they come with a puppet variety show inspired by various musical genres. Gospel is followed by a Russian chastushka sung by a Cossack choir, an operatic singing duo replaces an ensemble of mice trainers, a blues player strums on his guitar whilst a couple of Cubans dance in a temperamental Latino style. However, even beautiful melodies can sometimes have a minor chord. And so Mr. Spejbl’s bass is drowned out by the penetrating alto of Mrs. Kateřina and Mánička’s staccato competes in a duet with Hurvínek’s pubertal falsetto. Harmony is replaced by disharmony, both in the music and this quirky family’s relations.