THE GOLDEN DIONYSUS

performance length: 60 min
Labour Safety Training
Satyricon Inc.
camera: Jan Látal, Vojtěch Vančura, Jaroslav Ptáčník
Car: Monika Havlíčková a Jan Morávek
Collaboration on choreography: Dora Hoštová
costumes: Eva Brzáková
editing: Jan Látal
Idea, script, directing: Petr Šourek
light design: Vladimír Burian
music: Jan Burian
performed by: Tomáš Kobr, Dan Dittrich, Denisa Nová, Klára Štěpánková, Petr Vančura, Tereza Tausingerová
Photography: Zdenka Hanáková
produced by: Jolana Teuberová
Scene, graphics: Eva Holá
Van De Graaf generator: Lukáš Wagner
The tragedy was caused by the ungrounded wire. Around it the bizarre histories of the scientists revolve. The director Petr Šourek plays around with a few moments from the lives of famous inventors, splices them up and combines them with routine situations known to us all. In the tragicomic drama you will see a group of well-grounded actors, a Van de Graaf generator for making electric discharges and lots of scintillating optical fibres. The storm is approaching and the stage is filled with static electricity and anticipation…

The Russian scientists Richmann and Lomonosov have installed an ungrounded wire leading from the roof of their laboratory. On July 26, 1753, the Academy of Sciences is holding an assembly. A summer storm is approaching. Richmann leaves the assembly and hurries off to the laboratory. He invites the official engraver of the Academy to record this memorable experiment. The lightning bolt strikes. The engraver records the tragic death of the bold scientist. Fortunately only Richman dies –Lomonosov was invited by his three sisters for lunch. Near the town of Znojmo lives a man who knows why Richmann died. It is the do-it-yourself virtuoso, Prokop Diviš.

The Golden Dionysus is not a nickname of Prokop Diviš, the Czech inventor of the lighting rod, but a translation of the French expression Denis d’or. This was the name that Prokop Diviš gave to his unique musical instrument with fourteen registers. He guided electrical current to it in order to purify the musical tone. In cases of necessity he admonished a bad player with a cane. Diviš longed for his discoveries to be recognized by his academic colleagues.

Unfortunately he explained those using old-fashioned theories and sometimes even quotes from Bible. He had command of matter but not of language. However, science is not only a set of facts and data, but also a rhetorical arena. What will be the outcome of Diviš’s struggle at the reception of the Academy of Sciences?

www.scart.cz/satyricon/

Premiere: September 24, 2008.

WARNING: technical props (Van der Graafs´ generator) are used in this show which might cause health damages to the people with heart disease! Your mobile phone needs to be switched off as well!
In cooperation with the Institute of Photonics and Electronics and the Nuclear Research Institute Řež

Project partners: Tonak a.s., Rimmel – Coty Inc., 3M s.r.o., Montako CZ s.r.o., Pipelife Czech s.r.o., City of Znojmo, Znovín Znojmo a.s., Einhell, Fiber Optics – Lighting SCHOTT AG, Manpower

Supported by: Ministery of Culture of the Czech Republic, Prague City Hall, Czech Literature Fund, City of Žamberk, the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, C2C, ScArt, MOTUS, civic association – ALFREDVEDVOŘE theatre production and New Web c.a.

photo Petr Kudláček photo Petr Kudláček photo Petr Kudláček photo Zdeňka Hanáková photo Petr Kudláček photo Zdeňka Hanáková photo Petr Kudláček photo Zdeňka Hanáková photo Petr Kudláček photo Zdeňka Hanáková photo Petr Kudláček photo Petr Kudláček photo Petr Kudláček photo Petr Kudláček photo Petr Kudláček photo Petr Kudláček photo Petr Kudláček photo Petr Kudláček