Swimming to Prague

The ninth annual Prague Fringe Festival kicks off May 28 with more than two dozen acts from around the world - and that's just the first day. Once again, the festival program was assembled eclectically, with no common themes in mind. But, as festival co-founder Steve Gove notes, themes tend to emerge organically.

"It's weird how things come together," he says. "It isn't intentional. It just happens. Last year, there was a sort of dark, sexy cabaret thing happening. There were also two totally unrelated acts featuring gorilla suits. This year, it's Shakespeare and the ocean."

And there's plenty more on tap at this year's festival. A whirlwind of theater, comedy, music and dance will grace multiple stages at five locations for nine straight days. The eagerly anticipated gathering of talent is always well-attended, so getting tickets in advance is advised. In particular, the following productions should draw big audiences.

Shakespeare in love: Michael McEvoy stars in An Act of Will - The Secret Life of William Shakespeare, a one-man show about religious intolerance, political intrigue and the true identity of England's greatest playwright (A Studio Rubín, June 1-5 at 5). Shakespeare's Will by Vern Theissen imagines the life of Anne Hathaway in Stratford, acting the part of unsung muse to the Bard (Divadlo Čertovka, May 28-June 5 at 5).

Actors adrift: The Harbor, a contemporary spin on the selkie myth (seals transforming into humans) is the latest piece of physical theater from the British troupe Limbik. It imagines the effects on the lives of a mother and son when a fisherman brings home a woman from the sea (Divadlo Čertovka, May 28-31 at 8:15). Sealskin examines the family history of a brother and sister and the impact of the traditional sealskin story as told by their mother (A Studio Rubín, May 28-31 at 5:30; June 1-2 at 3:30; June 3-5 at 7). And local indie rockers Ocean vs. Daughter will combine live music with specially commissioned projections to fill a beautiful Hussite church with an audiovisual feast (Kostel sv. Jana Křtitele na Prádle, June 3-5 at 10).

Netherlanders and Yanks: Winners of last year's Inspiration Award, the American company Bad Soviet Habits returns with a piece derived from Mikhail Bulgakov's novel The Heart of a Dog, featuring a similarly satirical tone combined with updated U.S. cultural history (Divadlo Na Prádle, May 28-June 5 at 6:30). The New York-based Black Moon Theatre Company presents an ambitious adaptation of Dante's Inferno, titled Dante's Divina Commedia - Inferno (Divadlo Na Prádle, May 28-June 5 at 7:30). Winner of the Best of Amsterdam Fringe award, Bert Hana brings Daddy Day, which recounts a day in the life of a Dutch father and daughter on an ill-fated holiday (Kavárna 3+1, May 28-June 5 at 9:30). Veteran Dutch comic and performer Valentijn van Hall conjures the essence of Lenny Bruce shortly after the comedian's death in August 1966 with a reminder of the importance of retaining one's sense of humor under any and all circumstances (Divadlo Na Prádle, May 28-June 5 at 8).

For daily reviews and recommendations for this year's Fringe, check Praguepost.com beginning May 29.  

James Walling can be reached at
jwalling@praguepost.com