Prague - Day 6

Hi All,

Today was a day of festivals and friends here in Prague.  No more wandering the cobblestone streets and narrow roads alone, my UCSD design gang is here!

Truly, this (Prague Quadrennial) is a design festival to showcase designers...there are some performances, but mostly exhibitions.  Honestly, its really not my scene.  I will admit whole-heartedly to being a dance geek.  My love for good contemporary concert dance is almost childlike at times.  And this is how everyone at this festival feels about their area of theatre design.  Almost to a point where performance seemed secondary...and it sort of is in this environment.

So after lunch with my colleagues, some of us went to the theatre to watch a performance in the Sound Kitchen series (our series) which looked like it might be similar to ours.  It wasn't.  It wasn't even close.  They were playing with some new technology that controls sound through movement, but there was nothing artistic or theatrical about it.  After seeing this, I feel even more convinced that I am making really good work.  They (the European performance world) can be a bit snobbish to us American performers, but we've got something really great to share and I'm looking forward to it.

The best part of the day is when I dragged my friends Alina (costume and scenic designer) and Omar (lighting and sound designer) to a dance performance at MY festival (you know, the dance festival that is happening simultaneously).  They were floored by the piece.  It was an incredible duet by two men that was detailed and specific and smart.  These performers changed the space into a square - framed by wooden walls - where we, the audience, sat above them looking into the stage.  My friends could hardly contain themselves when the piece was over.  After looking at extreme scenic design for the last 24 hours, they were moved by the simplicity of this piece and the quality of the performers.  My friends were so excited about dance in that moment and we all decided we are going to make something incredible together.

Then we went to a fancy French Restaurant and had dinner and some lovely red wine.  It was soooo relaxing as we sat on the terrace and watch the sky slowly change colors.  We sat down at 8pm and didn't get up to leave until 11pm.  Ahhhh...  And now I am tired and ready for bed.  

Wish me "merde" for tomorrow's performance!

Much Love,

Alicia