Ages of the Moon

AGES OF THE MOON A porch, an electric fan, bourbon on the rocks and two men whose lifelong friendship is put to the test down the barrel of a shotgun. A theatrical western by one of America’s most famous playwrights.

Jiří Langmajer plays deftly with Ames’s bluntness and simplicity without ever reducing the character to a mere caricature. He presents him with a childlike sincerity that makes clear how lost Ames becomes in conversation with Byron; through restrained facial expression and carefully judged intonation, he inspires in the audience not cruel ridicule but rather a gentle, amused smile. His disproportionate bursts of anger are almost immediately followed by an equally excessive and naïve humility. In the first half of the production, Jiří Dvořák functions largely as a sounding board for the more energetic Ames, with little opportunity to reveal Byron’s distinctive character. That opportunity arrives after the interval in the monologue describing Byron dragging his dead wife through the town, unable to accept the finality of losing her. It is a fascinating and deeply compelling moment in which Dvořák and the director hold the audience completely in their grasp.
RADMILA HRDINOVÁ, Novinky.cz

Two ageing friends sit on the terrace of a trailer home and engage in a confrontation that ultimately becomes an inventory of far more than their shared past and increasingly bleak prospects. The longer they argue and needle one another, the more Sam Shepard allows broader questions of human existence to emerge between the lines. The play unfolds through an appealing blend of gentle humour and genuine tenderness, building towards a quiet, deeply affecting conclusion in which the characters come to terms with loss and the passing of time. Combined with the convincing performances of two superbly cast actors and Michal Dočekal’s sensitive direction, the result is theatre that offers audiences the rare assurance of both emotional depth and complete theatrical satisfaction.
HELENA GRÉGROVÁ, i-divadlo.cz

MICHAL DOČEKAL (1965) studied directing at the Theatre Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (DAMU) and subsequently completed a postgraduate placement at Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London. From 1991 to 1994, he worked as a director with Kašpar Theatre Company. Between 1994 and 2002, as artistic director and resident director of Komedie Theatre in Prague, he was instrumental in establishing the theatre’s distinctive artistic profile. During his tenure, the company received the Alfréd Radok Award for Theatre of the Year (1996). From 2002 to 2015, he served as artistic director of the Drama section of the National Theatre in Prague, before becoming its director for two years. Between 2018 and 2024, he was artistic director of the Prague City Theatres, where he continues to work as a resident director. In 2011, Dočekal was elected to the Board of Directors of the Union of the Theatres of Europe (UTE), which today brings together 21 leading theatres across Europe. He served as the organisation’s President from 2015 to 2018. He regularly directs at major international theatres, including Vígszínház in Budapest, the Hungarian State Theatre of Cluj, Teatrul Bulandra in Bucharest, Aréna Theatre in Bratislava, and the Slovak National Theatre. His productions have received numerous awards and have been invited to leading international festivals, including the Divadlo International Theatre Festival in Plzeň, POSZT in Pécs, Interferences in Cluj-Napoca, the Festival of National Theatres in Warsaw, MESS in Sarajevo, and the Festival Iberoamericano de Teatro de Bogotá, among many others. Since 2017, he has worked at DAMU, where he currently heads the Department of Drama Theatre.

UNGELT THEATRE is renowned for its actor-centred dramaturgy, selecting plays specifically with particular performers in mind. In doing so, it continues the tradition of dramatic theatre rooted in storytelling through the actions and relationships of its characters. Its distinguished ensemble enables Ungelt to present Czech premieres of demanding contemporary plays, offering audiences the opportunity to see many of the country’s finest actors in roles that often become milestones in their careers. Ungelt performs primarily on two stages in the heart of Prague. Its main venue is housed in the atmospheric medieval cellar of a historic building just a short walk from the Old Town Square. During the summer season, performances take place at its open-air stage in the Nový Svět quarter of Hradčany, beneath the Loreta. In addition to its own venues, Ungelt regularly presents guest performances at several partner theatres in Prague, including the ABC Theatre, Švanda Theatre, and Bez zábradlí Theatre.