THE DEATH OF STALIN A Kremlin grotesque. A theatrical adaptation of a French graphic novel by Fabien Nury and Thierry Robin depicting the fateful days following the death of Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, when fierce battles were fought over who would succeed him.
After Stalin’s death, it seemed for a while that Russia might come to its senses, break the spell of brutal authoritarian rule and move at least a step closer to democracy. Unfortunately, it did not take long before the first shot was fired, and the new masters of the Kremlin concluded that Russia could not be ruled without violence, manipulation and murders. This thwarted attempt is portrayed in the grotesque from Kremlin... We can only hope that once the current Kremlin leader is gone, Russia does not lose the battle once again.
– Michal Vajdička.
This wild and sometimes highly absurd farce is actually based on a true story, however monstrously exaggerated. After Stalin’s death, the Kremlin political elite went for the jugular and tried to eliminate each other, with Khrushchev eventually coming out on top. (...) Michal Vajdička accentuates all possible manifestations of fear, portraying the Kremlin elite as a bunch of primitive gangsters, criminals who abuse their power but when it comes to the crunch, they turn out to be rather pathetic and cowardly. Driven by fear, they feverishly manoeuvre to take hold of the reins of power. Direction succeeds in creating an atmosphere of chaos, constant uncertainty and latent plot twists. (...) Yet this sarcastic mockery is also quite funny, the wordplay coming off wonderfully in the theatrical adaptation, underlined with the brisk pace and committed acting. Fitting sarcastic and vulgar comments complete the picture of primitives in power, who come out as ridiculous and malevolent muppets.
– JANA MACHALICKÁ, Lidové noviny
Jaroslav Plesl portrays Khrushchev as a slightly timid yet competent schemer – his soft-spoken manner, combined with a basilisk smile, helps him to succeed in his intrigues. Plesl represents a completely different physical and psychological type than the rustic and peasant-like Nikita Khrushchev, yet his artistic performance in a balding wig is masterful. He is well complemented by the actors playing Beria (Tomáš Jeřábek), Malenkov (Lukáš Příkazký) and Molotov (Pavel Šimčík). In Jeřábek’s interpretation, the notoriously cruel villain Beria blackmails everyone with his files full of damaging evidence, but when he loses the power struggle, (...) he begs for mercy.
– JAN KERBR, UNI kulturní měsíčník
MICHAL VAJDIČKA studied theatre directing under Peter Mikulík at the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, where he graduated in 2004. As a director he then worked with many Slovak and Czech theatres (Drama Section of the Slovak National Theatre, State Theatre in Košice, Andrej Bagar Theatre in Nitra, Dejvice Theatre in Prague, Vinohrady Theatre in Prague, National Theatre Brno). From 2014 he was artistic head at the Dejvice Theatre in Prague, where his work has included the successful A Blockage in the System, the winner of an Alfréd Radok award for best production in 2012. He also teaches at the Department of Acting at the Academy of Performing Arts. From 2017 to 2019 he was the head of the Drama Section of the Slovak National Theatre in Bratislava, and since 2022 he is an in-house director at the Drama Section of the National Theatre in Prague (Hordubal, White Water). Two basic lines can be traced in his directorial work. The first focuses on producing classical texts (above all, the plays of Chekhov, Shakespeare, Pirandello and the adaptation of works by Slánčiková-Timrava). The other focuses on contemporary foreign drama with an emphasis on the black comedies by Martin McDonagh and Irvine Welsh. His productions were presented at the Divadlo festival in the years 2009 (All for the Nation, Slovak National Theatre), 2012 (A Blockage in the System, Dejvice Theatre), 2015 (The Kindly Ones, Slovak National Theatre), 2017 (Resurrection, Dejvice Theatre), 2019 (Before Sunset, Slovak National Theatre), and 2023 (Children, Slovak National Theatre).
DEJVICE THEATRE was founded in 1992. Following the departure of the original company, headed by Jan Borna, director Miroslav Krobot was its artistic head from 1996 to the end of the 2013/14 season. In 2014–2016, he was replaced by Michal Vajdička, who had co-operated with Dejvice Theatre since 2011. In January 2017, actor Martin Myšička, a member of the Dejvice ensemble since 1997, became the artistic director. From 1 January 2025, the post will pass to Jiří Havelka. The theatre’s dramaturgy goes in several directions. In addition to original plays by contemporary European and world authors, the theatre focuses on works by distinguished Czech and Slovak playwrights who write their work directly for the Dejvice Theatre’s company, and in most cases also participate in directing it (J. A. Pitínský, Miroslav Krobot, Petr Zelenka, Jiří Havelka, Karel František Tománek, Viliam Klimáček, Petra Tejnorová, Daniel Majling, and others). A distinctive interpretation of world classics is another significant component of the dramaturgy. During its existence, the Dejvice Theatre has six times been declared Theatre of the Year, with further significant awards being won both by productions and individual members of the company.
