Theatre Design & Technology - Fall 2011 - 38

photo by re stone

I do wonder where we are going with
the installation style of exhibit. The
installations can be fascinating in
themselves... though they don't often
inform us about the current practice of
theatre design in the country.

Performances were staged all over Prague during the 2011 PQ-some in theatres
and others in the streets, like this installation, 4th Act, by Rolf Abderhalden.
projecting the performances inside of it, and offering live performances
around it, was an effective answer to the call for a closer connection to the
theatrical experience. The large, almost life-size, scale of our projections
gave them even more veracity. I felt that we were successful in creating a
balance between gallery exhibit and performance space, and in making a
stronger link between exhibition and theatre.
On the other hand, the Veletrzni Palace, site for the 2011 PQ national
exhibits and the student exhibits, was already more crowded than the
Industrial Palace was in previous years, and the insertion of performances
into this space contributed to an increased sense of commotion. If they
were to ask me, I would suggest continuing to work on this concept as it
does enliven the material, but to perhaps separate the performances from
the exhibition. There were already many performances scheduled as a
part of the PQ, did we need to have performances mixed in with the exhibits as well? It can be a relief to sit and quietly watch a correlating video
while preparing for the assault on the next room of exhibits, and the films
do capture aspects of the productions in ways that static media can't.
I do wonder where we are going with the installation style of exhibit.
The installations can be fascinating in themselves, for example the Telling Orchestra from Norway, though they don't often inform us about the
current practice of theatre design in the country. Perhaps it is time for the
Prague Quadrennial to consider a wider range of exhibition categories,
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& technology

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and to offer a section of installations, a section of performances, and a
section of galleries.
The related performance events all over the city this year added to
the overall excitement and scope of the PQ. As always, it is impossible to
see everything, and this year, perhaps even more so, because of the distances between the venues. I thought I had managed to see a fair number
of events, but afterwards, I heard of several that sounded fantastic that I
missed. The focus on students is very effective and so important. I saw two of
the pieces in Six Acts which were put on by the student groups from around
the world and thought they were valuable experiences for the students and
produced intriguing results. The same can be said of the performances at
the DAMU, which were put on by school groups from other countries. I
didn't catch any of the Street Stories, but managed to see the two new documentaries on Svoboda and Malina and two professional performances.
The smorgasbord of events does offer insights into current theatre and it
gives us a chance to see some of our heroes' work onstage. v
Alexandra Bonds is actively involved in international theatre as
a scholar of costumes for Beijing Opera, as a long-time participant
in USITT's international activities including several Prague
Quadrennials, and as USITT's Vice President for International
Affairs from 2004 to 2011.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Fall 2011