Gottland by Mariusz Szczygieł is a collection of reportages on the Czechs and how they were caught up in the times they lived in. Czechoslovakia and the Czech lands - Gottland - is a country of horror, sadness, and the grotesque. Szczygieł deftly sidesteps stereotype to create a portrait of a nation through its people. The colourful biographies of Eduard Kirchberger (later Karel Fabián), actress Lída Baarova singer Marta Kubišová, sculptor Otokar Švec and manufacturer Tomáš Bata make up the bulk of this intriguing collection. It has since been translated into ten languages. The French daily Le Figaro called it "not a book, but a gem." In 2009 Szczygieł and his French translator, Margot Carlier, were awarded the prestigious Prix AMPHI for "Gottland" and many other awards, as well as a finalist in the Polish Nike Literary Competition and an Angelus Award finalist for best book on Central Europe.
Against the backdrop of the lives of these intriguing individuals, Jan Mikulášek paints a picture of the so called "Czech Personality" that Szczygieł has managed to identify. Sometimes the point of view is ironic, at other times humorous, even grotesque, but always sympathetic. Not being prejudiced by what the Czechs think of themselves Szczygieł discovered a great amount of surprising details and links that have been concealed the nation itself. The show promises a hearty dose of insightful peering into the Czech spirit and some laughs along the way.
The performance premieres on January 20, 2011 and continues its run on the stage at the National Moravian-Silesian Theatre through the end of June 2011.
For more information, see: www.ndm.cz
Gottland by Mariusz Szczygieł; Stage adaptation: Jan Mikulášek, Marek Pivovar; Direction: Jan Mikulášek; Set design and costumes: Marek Cpin; Divadlo Jiřího Myrona
Source: press release, www.polskyinstitut.cz, www.ndm.cz