Sapphire Head

Puppet psychedelia / accompanying programme for the exhibition

Sapphire Head was first performed in 1996. Its only showing took place in Prácheň, part of Kamenický Šenov, at the home of the Váchal family, neighbours of the performers then and now. Twenty-three years later, they set out to reconstruct it. Remains of the original set, puppets and objects were found in the family home’s cellar. A fragment of the performance also survived on a VHS-C tape. The original production was meant to have several further showings, but things turned out differently. Instead of a brief revival, fond memories and eventual oblivion, it became a legend that many had heard of but no one had seen. This reconstruction is less an attempt to revive an old show than a journey through the act of reconstructing a work that seemed destined to be forgotten from the outset.

Performers: Pavel Kopřiva, Tomáš Procházka, Leoš Kropáček
Created by: Kopřiva, Procházka, Smolík, Kropáček, Rous
Production: JEDEFRAU.ORG
Premiere: 6 December 2014 / Studio Truhlárna, Prague
Supported by: the Czech Ministry of Culture, the City of Prague and Studio Truhlárna

Handa Gote Research & Development experiments with dramaturgy, incorporates elements from outside theatre and develops its own approach to postdramatic and post-spectacular theatre. Science and technology have long been sources of inspiration. The group continuously explores theatrical language and works experimentally with sound and lighting design, while questioning these disciplines. From 2019 to 2021 it was the resident company at Alfred ve dvoře theatre.

The performance also includes a short documentary film explaining the project’s background.

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