Czech Republic

Puppets in Prague

Article by Cherie DeLory, photos: City of Pilsen

My first impression of Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, was it brought to life the marvellous fairy tales of my youth as told by the Brothers Grimm; stone bridges arching over the Vltava River, cathedrals, castles, gold-tipped towers and Gothic church spires, a larger than life whimsical medieval Astronomical Clock…, and puppets. Lots of puppets.

It doesn’t take long to spot Prague’s penchant for puppets while wandering the atmospheric pathways surrounding the Charles Bridge. Almost everywhere I turned there were puppet shops and kiosks, showcasing colourful puppets and wooden marionettes dangling from strings. From traditional clowns and devils to Pinocchio and Beethoven, marionettes are marvelled in Prague, so it’s no wonder this city is designated the unofficial capital of world puppetry. The art form is so entangled in Czech’s national identity that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognized Czech and Slovakia puppetry as an “Intangible Cultural Heritage” in 2016. It’s about time, too. Marionettes have been tugging at the heart strings of the young and youthful for centuries.

“Czech puppetry has a special relationship with Czech history and the Czech sense of identity,” explains master puppet maker Miroslav Trejtnar. He offers workshops at the Puppets in Prague studio he and his wife own. Lately, it’s been kind of like working in Santa’s Workshop, as Mirolslav has been busy crafting puppets for a nativity scene to be featured in a Christmas Exhibition. Nativity scenes, some mechanical with moving puppets, are a Czech tradition. Miroslav uses linden wood, the national tree of the Czech Republic. Its soft wood allows for ease of carving and manipulation of the body parts.

While puppet theatre historically was entertaining, it was meaningful in other ways, too.

“Puppeteers and their traditional travelling puppet shows were associated with the preservation of the Czech language during the Austrian Empire, and consequently puppetry became incredibly popular in the early 20th century. Thousands of puppet companies were formed, and leading Czech artists made and designed puppets.” One of those leading artists is puppeteer and founder of the Czech puppet theatre, Matěj Kopecky, regarded as a pioneer of the Czech National Revival movement in the 18th and 19th centuries to revive the Czech language, culture and identity.

Miroslav says children are introduced to puppet plays in kindergarten, and its appeal continues into adulthood. Many of the plays are based on traditional folk fairy tales written by the Brothers Grimm. Coincidentally, Grimm illustrator Jiri Trnka was a Czech puppeteer and filmmaker. Nowadays, the art form of puppetry is evolving and puppeteers are experimenting with new approaches. For instance, one of the puppets Miroslav is fine tuning for the Christmas nativity scene will move on its own with sensors. No strings, no marionettist. “I do enjoy the challenges of figuring out the technology and finding the best way to make each individual puppet work. When the pieces are put together and the puppet becomes alive there is a magical feeling then.”

Festivals, Museums and Puppet Theatre

The first day of spring is declared World Puppetry Day by the International Union of Puppetry (UNIMA). If you’re passionate about puppets, plan an outing to the MLK Chrudim Puppetry Museum in East Bohemia – https://www.puppets.cz. It houses the largest collection of historical and contemporary Czech and foreign puppets. The Puppetry Museum in Pilsen, about 90 kilometres west of Prague, offers guided tours couresy of magical puppets. https://www.muzeum-loutek.cz/en/

Check out the following festivals

International Festival of Puppet and Alternative Theatre in Pilsen –
http://www.skupovaplzen.cz/, a festival showcasing the theatrical performance,

One Flew Over the Puppeteer’s Nest – https://www.prelet.cz/index.php?lmut=cz&part=historie,

and Mateřinka is the only festival specializing in shows for children – http://materinka.naivnidivadlo.cz/en/about-festival

Take in a puppet performance at any one of the hundreds of puppet theatres in the Czech Republic, including The National Marionette Theatre in Prague – https://www.mozart.cz/, and Puppet Theatre Ostrava – https://www.dlo-ostrava.cz/en

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