"My audience understands me", the renowned, successful and rightly sought-after Czech film, television, theatre author and director P. Zelenka could declare with humble self-confidence. Winner of numerous awards such as the Czech Lion, as well as trophies from international festivals thanks to iconic titles such as Knoflikáři (Buttoners), Samotáři (Loners) or Rok ďábla (Year of the Devil), in the recent years he has increasingly established himself as a prominent theatre artist, collaborating mainly with Dejvice Theatre and most recently with the comedy Amateurs in Prague's Studio Two. Intelligent and original humour is literally in his genes. Behind the breezy dialogue and surprising situations, his plays always hide deeper, more fundamental themes that air the topic of the so-called normality and its opposite with an understanding and revelatory mischievousness. The characters in his plays have sympathetic quirks or exceptional attitudes, overflowing with revealing self-irony and evoking kindly compassion. The play Amateurs has the same qualities, in which we find ourselves at a family reunion where a shocking revelation follows a secret among multi-generational family members and their friends. The characters and the development of relationships on the quiet terrace of a house with a fine menu are giving us more and more trouble, although we are still smiling, even laughing. Does the host, the daughter, have the right to have a child with the former, much older teacher? What threatens the career of the self-confident son Tomáš? And did the bride-to-be help her mother-in-law with videos of her younger lover? Zelenka's Amateurs explore with humour the limits of personal freedom, morality and tolerance in the family. They will entertain, but also subtly reveal conflicts and secrets that we know intimately from our own encounters. The Amateurs, directed by Eduard Kudláč, who returns to the Drama Theatre of the Slovak National Theatre, will entertain, but will also reexamine our contemporary intimate worlds and constellations in a non-violent way.

 

 

Première June 6, 2026