Black and White

Mário Radačovský

Mahen Theatre / Ballet Dates and tickets

Sometimes one second is enough…

Black and White is essentially a contemporary, adapted version of the flagship classic – Swan Lake. A ballet that is without a doubt the most performed across the world. However, our version which had great success in the USA, represents today’s world. The work attempts to present a different point of view to the younger generation, contradicting all traditions and as such, visually reshaping Swan Lake. In the traditional version, the figure of the ballerina is the most dominant (the main dual role of Odette – Odile) and thus it is mainly a statement about the female element. However, in this production the story is told through the main character of Prince Siegfried, who is going through a difficult life situation associated with the treatment of a serious illness – cancer. Sometimes, one second is enough – and life is turned upside down.

Siegfried is searching for himself in the beauty of the fair and almost perfect creature that is a swan. Just like the Prince in the classic version of the story, he also faces a choice. White or Black… Is the colour of white really so innocent or is it far more dangerous than black? Some cultures consider black to be much more predictable than white. It’s about how we see things: perhaps paradoxically, the black can help us much more to become conscious of our journey.

Premiere 20th of March 2015 at Mahen Theatre