Theatre Design & Technology - Fall 1995 - 11

Prague
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'95
by
Richard W.
Durst

Entrance to the Palace of Industry in Prague, site of PO '95.

EXCITEMENT
ANTICIPATION
TREPIDATION
I

have never been bashhii facing new situations, just
edgy to get on Irith it. Such Iras the situation with Prague. Although relatirelr experienced in other parts of Eastern Europe. this was to be my
first I'isit to the Czech Republic andrd received notes and E-mail from
around the \I'orld describing Prague as the most beautihii Baroque city
in existence. and the Prague Quadrennial as the most stunning visual
displar of designs ever assembled for our art form. \othing prepared
me for what I saw. \0 rerbal descriptions or photographs can
adequately prcpare you for the sensory assault of the Prague Quach'ennial and Prague itself. It can on Iv be experienced.
,\Ir trip had t\\'O motives. Thc obvious one Iras to experiencc PQ
'95 as part of the L'.S. comingent. AdditionaJlr. thc Organisation
Internationalc des Scenographes. Techniciens et Architectes de Theatre
(OIST.-H) had inritcd the prc idents of the national theatre organizations Irho scrrc as "cemers" for OISTAT to attend the small congress of
this organization to be held during the week of the official PQ opening.
So. I Iras to rcprcscnt LSln at combined meetings of the OISTAT Excclltil'e Committce, OISTAT Commission chairs. and the national organization prcsidcnts. Dr. Joel Rubin. thc chair of thc C.S. Center for OISTAT
andmembcr of the Executive committce for thc intcrnational organization was detaincd bl' last minutc 1I'0rk commitmcnts and was unablc to

attend the congress, so I represented the United States' Center in the
Executive committee meetings, as well. On page 16 in this issue, you'll
find my report on these meetings and a discussion of OISTAT itself.

WHAT IS THE PRAGUE QUADRE

IAL?

More than thirty years ago theatre professionals in Czechoslorakia convincedtheir government to sponsor this "competition" among nations. I
needn't remind vou that at that moment in time there mlS still a significant degree of tension between the then-Eastern Bloc countries and the
West, as Helmut Grosser so eloquemly referenced in his opening address for the PQ (see page 14). Governments during those eras looked
for opportunities of direct competition where thev might sholl' any kind
of supremacy. It is indeed interesting that the art sometimes thrive in
times of world strife. Regardlcss of the rationale of the gOI'ernments. Ire
should applaud our Czech colleagues for thcir efforts to make such a
significant evem possible and for their Irork in making surc thc exhibition cominued to the present.
I must depart from the PQ for a moment, in order to make a point.
While walking through the Old Town, with my Lonely Planct guidebook
in hand, I discovered the jewish museum in the former jewish ghetto
near the ccnter of Praguc. On one of the upper Doors is a displav of
TO&T

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Fall 1995