The mention of Prague, the capital of Czech Republic, conjures up images of old medieval buildings with spires jutting into the skies and old bridges spanning lusty rivers with arches and domes and....let me not get carried away!
Well, the point I'm trying to make is that Prague is more than merely its magnificent architecture.
This bustling city is also home to a rich, vibrant cultural scene and the Black Light Theatre is one of the most celebrated art forms that the Czechs have given to the world.
Black Light Theatre of Jiri Srnec is named after its founder Jiri Srnec who established this unique art form in 1961 in Prague. Since then, the theatre has performed in various countries around the world and has earned the distinction of being the oldest Black Light Theatre in the world!
What is Black Light Theatre
This dramatic art form uses a pitch-black background on stage to create illusions of moving images. The darkened look of the stage is created by black curtains. The audience can only see the fluorescent props and the colourfully attired performers moving around the stage for the act.
What they cannot see are the stage artists who are also dressed in black and hold and move these props as per the directions of the script. What makes this show spectacular is the ease with which these movements and plastic props are brought to life on stage.
The setting of the theatre is nothing extravagant but the art form surely is....
My Tip
I'd read some pretty bad reviews about the show on some forums, some people claimed that the show was sexist while others found fault with the seating arrangements at the venue. We were dissuaded by the reviews and might have given the show a miss but we wanted to see this world's oldest art form for ourselves. And I am so glad we went.
The experience was unique if not out-of-this-world! The small auditorium has a capacity of about 100 or a little more. There is a small stage. You will not see any fancy acoustics and elaborate decorations on the walls, just pictures of artists and performers.
The 90-minute show is non-verbal, it uses only moving props synced with lively music that adds to the zing. The plots of the acts are simple and hilarious.
There is some crude humour at places but I wouldn't call it sexist or cheap, it's just simple laughter gimmicks.
The performance of the actors, the dances and the music are lively. They create quite a buzz with their agile movements on the small stage.
Seating is free, so try to reach on time to grab a seat in the front rows. We reached quite early but took a seat somewhere along the middle, we were not sure which seats would be ideal and then had to see the entire show with heads popping everywhere.
Photography is not prohibited but patrons mostly refrain from making videos during the show as it creates disturbance. I made a small video for the sake of reference only.
The venue is a bit difficult to find although it's quite centrally located in Prague. The metro line B stops close by and there is a tram stop also round the corner.
We reached the area easily but had a lot of difficulty finding the entrance to this venue since there are a lot of theatres in that area.
We were expecting a big theatre kind of structure but Jiri Srnec Black Light Theatre is inside a small unassuming door leading to a hallway and further downstairs into the auditorium. Once you know this, then locating the venue should not be difficult.
If you have an evening free in Prague, then going to watch a black light show can be a fun thing to do. It's also a great way for families to spend time.
You can read more about this art form on the official website of Jiri Srnec Black Light Theatre by clicking on the link below-
And if you're interested in getting some practical and useful travel tips, click here