| POETRY CURRENTS | |
WORDS TO “SEE”
Second-Hand Twilight, the latest collaboration of the Czech-South Africa Theatre Project, was at Divadlo Archa, 15 through 20 May, with Petra Cikanova, Jaroslav Koran, Agatha Madunane, Madoda Manana, Mike Manana, Petr Nikl, Jana Svoboda, Victor Mohapi and Innocent Xhosa. Good show: poetic possibilities of improvisation within a prescribed structure. It begins with darkness, the rusty creak of a wheel: this is a “dream island” littered with objects discarded or no longer of value to various “dreamers” populating the island. As they awaken and “tell” their dreams, the diverse languages of the actors (Czech, Swahili, Xhosa, English) become as tangible and malleable as the props. Disconnected conversations, fragments of stories, are thrown out, recycled -- along with the other objects -- and take on new relationships, new values. The result is an energetic interplay of voice, music, light and physical space. Directed by Petr Nikl and Jana Svoboda, stage and costume design by Petr Nikl, music by Jaroslav Koran.
Hodná Anna: Jana Svoboda also directs this upcoming poetic theatre piece, at Divadlo Archa, next showings 27 - 28 June at 8 pm. The piece works off the motifs of Gertrude Stein's poetry, uses original music by Jaroslav Koran and stars Lenka Vychodilova, Eva Pospisilova, Petra Cikanova and Hana Schmidtmajerova, with set design by Petr Nikl.
Who is Petr Nikl?
He's a member of the Czech art group, Stubborn Heads, a past winner of the Czech Republic's Annual Best Young Artist Award (the Jiri Chalupecky Prize), and initiator of the Czech-South African Theatre Project. Nikl is to me poetry in motion, and has in recent years created some ingenious collaborative art “happenings” at theatres and public spaces in Czech Republic. At the end of June Nikl will travel to the US to perform in Washington, D.C., and he hopes also to appear in New York. He says he's not sure yet what he's going to do... but those of you in these cities, catch him if you can.
Polish Concrete Poetry: The first large-scale exhibition of Polish concrete poetry ever presented abroad. Until 27 May, from 9 am - 5 pm daily at the National Technical Museum, Kostelni 42 Prague, near Letna Plain.
Andrei Voznesensky: An exhibition combining the Russian poet's literary visions and paintings. Until 31 May, daily 10 am - 6 pm at Joseph Kalousek Hradcany Gallery.
UPCOMING EVENTS/OPEN READINGS
U Boziho Mylna Sunday nights (Lublanska 50, close to Metro IP Pavlova, Prague 2):
- 20 May, 7 pm: Reading for a new book by poet Vera Jirousova (daughter of the legendary Plastic People of the Universe in-house poet/wild man, Ivan “Magor” Jirous), with music by Tobias Jirous.
- 3 June, 7 pm: Jiriho Koflaka autographs a new book; with music by the author, V. Brabenec and Jaromir Linhart.
- 10 June, 8 pm: Literary evening with Filip Topol, musician (and brother of the writer, Jachym Topol).
Simon Safranek reads from his new bilingual book, Fiery Wheels/Ohniva Kola, 24 May at 7 pm at The Globe Bookstore, Pstrossova 6, Prague. His poster describes the event as “Fuck Spank/ Suck Wank/ Post-Coital Mayhem...” -- not your usual Globe Bookstore fare -- sounds good to me!
Beefstew open reading, every Sunday, 7 pm at Radost FX, 120 Belehradska (near Metro IP Pavlova). English. Just show up and sign up.
Mesicni Kocko open reading, every Sunday at 9 pm at the teahouse of the same name, one tram stop beyond Andel (trams 9, 10). English and Czech. Ditto: show up/sign up.
INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR IN PRAGUE
The International Book Fair just ended here; its focus was on translation, especially the difficulties of funding translations of “minor” languages versus “major” languages (new book trade lingo?). I took in the discussion, “Scheherazades,” which featured readings by contemporary women writers including Anja Snellman (formerly Kauranen) of Finland, Latvian novelist Nora Ikstena, Czech writer and journalist Eva Kriseova, and Oksana Zabuzko of the Ukraine.
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LITERATURE ACROSS FRONTIERS
The Book Fair was important if for nothing else than that a day spent wandering through these countries of books gives an enormous appreciation of the often thankless and unacknowledged work of translators. Literature Across Frontiers is one organization working to support translators. One of its participants is the Hungarian Book Foundation Translation Fund. It gives financial support to foreign publishers for translations of Hungarian literary works, from 60 - 100% of translation costs after publication. Deadlines for application are 31 March and 31 October, every year. Email Dora Karolyi at dora.karolyi@mail.matav.hu for more information after you've visited the Web site.
Eurozine, a new Web-based multilingual magazine, is also attempting to support the work of translation between cultures, using the Web to link up cultural magazines from all over Europe. Currently it publishes in English, French, German and Spanish, and whenever possible, translates contributions from “minor” languages into “major” ones. Based in Austria and funded by the Department of Culture, City of Vienna, and the Department of Arts, Austria, Eurozine presently gives access to 95 European periodicals, and Central/Eastern Europe cultural magazines from Albania and Croatia to Slovenia and Slovakia are well-represented.
A FEW MORE LITERARY CAFES/VENUES
- Since my last Museletter, Literarni Kavarna G+G has changed its name; it is now called Blue Velvet Cafe...
- Uni-Jazz Center is centrally located upstairs at Jindrisska 5 (across from the Main Post Office), Prague. A meeting place for underground musicians, writers and artsy types, with a book/CD store and comfy “living room,” it has occasional literary events and poetry readings. Also publishes a monthly cultural magazine with the same name.
- Knihomolova Literary Cafe, Manesova 79, is just down the street from Metro Stop Jiriho-Podebrad. Hosts occasional literary evenings and book parties.
FROM SLOVAKIA
Peter Sulej, poet and Drewo a Srd publisher, and translator Martin Solotruk, visited from Bratislava during the International Book Fair, and passed along this news:
- VLNA magazine:
Editor in Chief: Beata Jablonska, Contact person: Jan Simko. Started in 1999, VLNA is an international magazine for young, innovative and experimental culture focusing on Slovakia (but it also translates from international sources), and concentrating on significant trends in the fields of literature, film, media, music, theatre and visual arts. It is the only Slovak cultural magazine (not specifically theatre) that regularly publishes full-length dramas -- either Slovak or translations. VLNA also publishes original fiction and essays. All of VLNA's editors are volunteer workers without regular pay. “At this time we can pay only for articles from renowned authors, some of whom are writing for the magazine for free.”
VLNA is not only a publishing house but an organizer of cultural events linked to the magazine, i.e., staged readings of plays, poetry and fiction readings, music and video presentations... “as soon as we get the equipment we also plan to organize Internet projects. The venue is a place for young emerging innovative writers, visual artists and critical opinion. We prefer creating opportunities for Slovak artists to the non-dialogical import of culture from abroad.”
- Kritika & Kontext:
K & K is a respected Slovak cultural magazine, published three times a year, out of Bratislava. About 40% of each issue is Slovak-English, and the editor, Samuel Abraham, is on the editorial board of above-mentioned Eurozine, so check it out there.
- 3rd Bratislava Poetry Festival:
Yes, I've been told the festival will happen again; it has grown even more popular and well-attended since my visit to the First in August 1999. The actual date is not yet set, but it usually happens in mid-August and unless the weather's bad, takes place in the beautiful open-air courtyard behind Gump Bookstore on Ursulinska Street, Bratislava. So stay tuned and I'll get an updates soon...
Sulej pointed me to two other Web sites based on our discussions about translation, etc. -- I haven't checked them out yet, so you go first!
LAST BUT NOT LEAST
Mucho gratitude: My fellow Lizard Ladies Literary Society member, Moravian Surrealist poet and artist, Katerina Pinosova, made it to the States, and has been meeting up with some of my old San Francisco poet friends: Julia Vinograd, David Gollub (whom she translated for the forthcoming Czech anthology of the Babarians), Whitman McGowan & Margery Snyder, Vampyre Mike Kassel and Alvin Stillman, infamous ex-proprietor of the equally infamous Cafe Babar. Last weekend poet and Zeitgeist Press publisher Bruce Isaacson flew her to Las Vegas to read with him at Fritters. And best news: Julia gave her copies of my old Zeitgeist book The Cities of Madame Curie to bring back to Prague. Great! No shipping costs! Thanks folks, for showing her “the other America.”
That's all for now... Be well.
