6

I'm not sure if it's Prague or all of Eastern Europe in general that are known for their Marionette/Puppet shows (or if I'm mistakenly projecting it on the majestic city), but is Prague a place to catch a performance of Marionette/Puppet shows to get a taste of the culture?

I know this is a pretty touristy thing to do (at least in my mind), but would there be many shows in the English language that are enjoyable for adults to watch?

Any places in Prague one would recommend going to catch a delightful show?

*It doesn't necessarily have to be in English, (hello! I'm in their country!) but if there is a famous story-line that I would understand regarldess of language that would be terrific!

*How much do they cost to attend anyhow?

3
  • Not sure about shows (I didn't look/don't remember), but there sure were a lot of marionette dolls for sale so it seems like Prague must be known for it! I bought a marionette doll there! If you find a show, I'll be jealous if you go because that seems fantastic. It's like a fairy-tale land! Good luck! Mar 3, 2017 at 23:31
  • Search queries like "Marionette theatre in prague for adults" seem to give decent results on Google.
    – svick
    Mar 4, 2017 at 0:28
  • I saw lots of marionettes for sale in Prague, but don't remember ads for shows. Prague's famous show is the black theatre.
    – ugoren
    Mar 4, 2017 at 13:03

2 Answers 2

4

is Prague a place to catch a performance of Marionette/Puppet shows to get a taste of the culture?

As a Prague local I've never heard of the puppet shows, nor are they particularly well-known in the Czech culture. So I won't say visiting the puppet theater would help you get immersed in the "local culture". It is mostly a touristy thing, just like the numerous hansom cabs and cabarets.

but would there be many shows in the English language that are enjoyable for adults to watch?

The most well-known theater is called National Marionette Theatre. Their most frequent show is Don Giovanni and as you can see from this Youtube video, it is an Opera in Italian. Therefore no Czech language knowledge is needed.

Any places in Prague one would recommend going to catch a delightful show?

The other two puppet theaters in Prague are Divadlo Říše loutek and Divadlo Zvoneček. Both of them only host children shows in Czech, therefore it's probably not interesting for a tourist.

How much do they cost to attend anyhow?

They cost 500-600 CZK per person, which is around 25 EUR at the moment.

3
  • For me, the first few times I visited Prague, in the early 1990s, it was difficult to avoid touristy mentions of the city's puppet shows.
    – MastaBaba
    Mar 4, 2017 at 14:39
  • 1
    @MastaBaba you also get plenty of brothel advertisements, but I wouldn't say it's a hardcore part of Czech culture...
    – JonathanReez
    Mar 4, 2017 at 14:57
  • If you say so. Those puppet theater promotions were something I don't typically experience elsewhere. Nor, for that matter, plenty of brothel announcements.
    – MastaBaba
    Mar 5, 2017 at 13:09
2

It is not so common to see them in the street but you can definitely find a pop-out artist playing with Marionette at Charles Bridge. I see him any time passing by between Old Town and Lesser Town across Vltava River.

Edit ex post

There is Spejbl & Hurvínek Theater. You may have already heard of these characters.

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .