Kraus, Ivan
*(1. 3. 1939)Czech writer, author of humorous stories, sketches, plays and television scripts. Born in Prague. After high school he graduated in international economic relations in 1959. He worked as a writer, mime and actor in a number of small, mostly cabaret theatres, in and outside Prague. He emigrated in 1968 and lived in the USA, Switzerland, Italy, England, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Portugal and Mexico. At the same time, he worked from 1971 to 1992 in Germany as a TV scriptwriter, puppet player and writer. Since 1976 he alternates between working and living in France and Germany, and from 1990 also in the Czech Republic. In writing his plays, Ivan Kraus was often inspired by his own experiences (Honey Summer, My Family and Other Earthquakes, Family Congress). Some of his short stories and political satires appeared abroad in anthologies of world humour, some were published by Amnesty International. In the Czech Republic he works mainly with the Academia publishing house. His books are based on subtle verbal humour and play with languages. He interprets his favourite theme of relationships between families or partners with an original absurd or lightly grotesque exaggeration.
List of plays (selection):
- Důvěrné hovory, 1966 (in co-operation with Jiři Sykora)
- Toulavý kabaret, 1967 (in co-operation with Jiři Sykora)
- Chlubil, 1970 (in co-operation with Bedřich Hanyš)
- Poker bez esa, 1996, premiere 6. 2. 1999 Divadlo Pohody, Prague
- Víkend, 1998, premiere November 2001 Ochotnicke divadlo, Bruntal
- Na břehu, 1999
- Vše co potřebujete vědět o vzniku bulvární komedie, 2000
- Poučné příběhy, 2002
- Živý květ, 2005
- Doručovatel/- ka, 2006
Translated plays:
- Poker bez esa - Poker ohne As - German
- Doručovatel/- ka – Der Zusteller - German
- Na břehu – On the Bank - English
- Víkend – Wochenende - German
- Chlubil – Pralhans - German