DAY AND NIGHT

Kasha Jandáčková

Cast: 2 men, 2 women (variable)

“The chance that we will die during a terrorist attack is the same as the chance that we will win the lottery.”

How can your life totally change in one moment? What consequences can each little decision have? Will I have another beer at a concert, or will I go home? Will I take the underground, or will I walk? Will I write him first, or will I wait if I hear from him? Would you like to know the alternative directions of your life story, or is it something that we should rather not think about? And if we got a second chance at life, would it be fulfilled by heroic deeds or fear that we are going to lose it again?

The play by Kasha Jandáčková (opening in 2016 at the NOD theatre), based on documents, newspaper articles, authentic statements and video recordings, tells the stories of the real-life victims of terrorist attacks. Life stories of ordinary heroes who would prefer not to have become ones.

“Kateřina Jandáčková’s screenplay works with the phenomenon of terrorist attacks which is perfectly topical, but also a bit sensitive in this country that is full of fears but actually stays isolated from all problems related to migration and terrorism. The method that the author has chosen makes sense: she is closely monitoring both a human being-victim and a human being-terrorist at their everyday life and later adds the social and political dimension. I very much appreciate that she does not judge anyone but gradually changes the point of view. Concerns and germinating hatred are transforming into desire for human dignity that is not compatible with anxious xenophobia. On top of that the author uses contemporary methods such as monologisation, using clips and creating composition from diverse text components.” Jiří Adámek

The play won the Evald Schorm Award in 2016.

The play is available in the Czech original and English translation.