S.K.U.P.A.

Last time, director Radovan Lipus staged the story of painter Gottfried Lindauer. Now, we turn to a figure who left an indelible artistic mark not only in Plzeň—but one that is still alive today! For the puppets Spejbl and Hurvínek continue to entertain audiences to this very day.

This cabaret-style production will focus above all on the story of their creator, Josef Skupa—one of the most significant figures in Czech puppetry. At the same time, it is also a tribute to the beloved puppets themselves: Spejbl first came to life in Plzeň in 1920, and Hurvínek will celebrate his 100th birthday on May 2, 2026. And doesn’t he still look young, that cheeky boy with big ears?

Patriotically speaking, it must be noted that Milan Šotek’s play does not overlook Skupa’s collaboration with another famous Plzeň native, Jiří Trnka. Among other things, it explores the peculiar art of a puppeteer voicing two characters at once—creating a witty, uninterrupted dialogue between father and son. And Šotek is writing this revue specifically for its world premiere on the stage of the Grand Theatre, where Skupa himself once worked: from 1916 as an external collaborator, in 1922–23 as head of set design, creating more than 25 scenographies. In this way, Josef Skupa symbolically returns to one of the theatres he once called home.