The Palmovka Theatre is returning the auditorium to its appearance before the floods of 2002

Prague – Workers are busy this summer at the Theater under Palmovka in Prague. They are reconstructing the auditorium to achieve a higher elevation, similar to what it had before the floods in 2002. The work is expected to be completed by September 8, allowing the theater to fully enter the new season. The first performance that audience members will see from the new seats will be a reprise of The Goddesses of Žítková featuring Pavla Gajdošíková and Tereza Dočkalová. The season will kick off in the Studio Palm Off on the upper floor of the Libeň stage with the premiere of the black comedy Old White Man. The direction is being taken on by the theater's director Michal Lang, who today informed CTK about both the upcoming productions and the status of the summer construction work costing approximately 12.5 million crowns.

The replacement of seats, which will be a new wine red color, was entirely justified according to Lang. "The upholstery on the seats was torn, nails were coming out of them. There was a risk that audience members could get scratches. The seats served for 24 years and were comfortable," said Lang.

The Theater under Palmovka was flooded in 2002 with water from the Vltava River, after which the layout of the hall was changed. Until then, the auditorium had a higher elevation according to Lang, which allowed spectators to see from above, enhancing their experience. "We decided to return to the state before the floods in 2002," Lang said.

A new feature will be the staggered arrangement of the seats to prevent obstruction. The seats will be supplied by the Slovak company Sedasport from Myjava, similar to after the floods but with a different construction and materials.

New fire safety regulations established in January have set a new standard. The aisle in the auditorium must now be 110 centimeters instead of the previous 100 centimeters. According to Lang, this means that the theater will lose 18 seats, leaving 278 in the main hall for the new season. In recent years, during the gradual reconstruction, the Libeň theater has had the hall painted, has a new roof, and has installed photovoltaic panels.

The first two premieres of the new season will be prepared in Studio Palm Off, as rehearsals cannot yet take place in the main hall. The production Old White Man by contemporary German playwrights Dietmar Jacobs and Moritz Netenjakob will be a satire in Lang's direction.

The black comedy about political correctness will relate to older generations. "It is a clear reflection of the present, in which correctness sometimes crosses into the absurd, and the play takes that to task," said Lang. The second premiere will be in November in the studio Presidentky, written by Austrian playwright Werner Schwab.

The production Shootings on Broadway, based on Woody Allen's film, will return to the main hall after more than two decades. Directed by Tomáš Dianiška, it will feature singer and actress Lucie Vondráčková as a guest according to Lang.

For spring next year, Lang plans to stage a serious play, Shakespeare's Macbeth. The new production in Studio Palm Off will also feature Navalny about the life of the murdered Russian opposition politician, starring Jan Teplý and directed by Vít Malota.

The Theater under Palmovka, as a contribution organization of the capital city, is a leading drama stage in Prague. Actress Tereza Dočkalová received the Thálie Award last year for her performance in the production Mom.