Spejbl & Hurvínek Theater

Located in Prague 6 is the famous Spejbl & Hurvínek Theater. This marionette theater has a long tradition in the city of Prague as the two main protagonists, Spejbl & Hurvínek are household names to Czech citizens. Established in 1930 in Pilsen, western Bohemia by Professor Josef Skupa, the Spejbl and Hurvínek Theater was the first modern professional marionette theater in the country. Marionettes have a long tradition in the Czech lands and this theater was a welcome if not nostalgic establishment for many and was an instant success as the characters Spejbl & Hurvínek had gained popularity for being present in many amateur marionettes shows performed in Pilsen cabarets. The Pilsen Theater was active as a touring company until 1943. In 1944 the Nazis closed the theater and Josef Skupa was arrested for antifascist resistance activities. Skupa escaped from a Dresden prison during an allied bombing in February of 1945. After his escape and after the war Josef Skupa opened the Spejbl & Hurvínek Theater in 1945 in Prague 6 from where it has remained until today and has been managed by the Cultural Department of Prague’s Municipal Office since 1953. In 1957 Skupa passed away and the roles of Spejbl & Hurvínek were taken over by the director of the theater, Milos Kirschner who had already played both main characters before Skupa’s death. It was in fact, Skupa’s wish to have Kirschner take over as the character’s master. Kirschner passed in 1996, however the theater has regained its reason for being and continues to depict the world and its social problems through humor and satire. The comedies are for both children and adults and combine visual and musical settings. At the Spejbl & Hurvínek Theater you will meet an array of characters including father and son Spejbl & Hurvínek, Hurvínek's sidekick and best friend Mánicka, Mánicka’s grandmother Mrs. Katerina Hovorková and Zeryk - the Spejbl family dog.

Dejvická 38, Praha 6, +420 224 316 784, www.spejbl-hurvinek.cz