Ta fantastika: black light theatre in Prague
The priciple behind black light theatre lies in an optical trick, and takes advantage of the fact that the human eyes aren't able to distinguish black objects on a black background. Used in China to entertain emperors, this technique was adopted by the japanese puppet theatres and, later, introduced in Europe by French puppeteers and, at last, was transformed into a kind of visual and scenic language that breaks any language barrier and makes this way of acting a universal form of communication.
Known as the "black box" trick, it was initially used in puppet shows as an acting trick. It was adopted by czech black light theatre companies and it's based on a new theatrical language, in which flesh and bone actors dressed in black move across a black background and, through a complex arrangement of lights, make parts of their body, as well as objects, stand out and gain a life of their own and become part of the cast, as important as the actors themselves. One of the best black light theatre companies is, without a doubt "Ta Fantastika".
Established in New York in the early 1980s by Petr Kratochvíl, it was settled in Prague in the late 80s, after the Velvet Revolution. Through mimic, a careful staging, a fabulous cast, an imaginative use of music, colour and visual effects with black light, technical tricks, puppets, giant projections that interact with the audience and the actors, Ta Fantastika has brought to the stage plays of great quality, creativity and good taste, such as The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Don Quixote, Alice In Wonderland and Gulliver's Travels. With them, they have travelled the world.
If, by chance, you're fortunate enough to visit Praga, one of the most beautiful cities in the world, don't forget to visit "Ta Fantastika Prague"; if Prague is not in your travel plans, be aware, because Ta Fantastika may be coming to a theatre near you.
Break a leg.
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Have you heard of blacklight or glow-in-the-dark theatre, but know nothing about it? Have you already seen a performance by one of the many blacklight theatres in Prague, or one nearer home? Were you amazed by it, or are you just interested in learning more about the technology behind it? Did you hear about the phenomenon of the blacklight medium and want to explore it? Are you looking for new creative ideas? Blacklight theatre is a great imaginative idea, and we want share this imagination with you.
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