Buchty a loutky (Cakes and Puppets)
Buchty a loutky (Cakes and Puppets) is an independent, alternative puppet theatre troupe for children and adults. It was founded in 1991 by a group of graduates of the Department of Alternative and Puppet Theatre at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. Since then, it has staged over 40 titles, a number of one-off projects in the field of alternative theatre and specific art events. It has also participated in the production of puppet and animated films. Buchty a loutky creates a unique theatrical poetics. Its own theatrical productions and adaptations of classic titles are characterised by a strong improvisational element and a distinctive humour. Emphasis is placed on the visual aspect of the productions, based on combining old toys and worn-out objects with the latest technology. Most performances include original musical compositions, in many cases performed live.
Individual productions are performed by three to eight actors. The theatre troupe is a regular guest on the studio stage of the Švandovo Theatre in Prague, but is usually on the road. It presents around 250 performances a year in the Czech Republic and abroad (Europe, Japan, Taiwan, the USA, Canada, Mexico), participates in a number of international shows and festivals and organises the theatre festival Buchty a loutky dětem / Pohádková Kinského zahrada (Cakes and Puppets for Children / the Kinský Fairy Tale Garden). The troupe is also involved in the production of films: these include Chcípáci (Radek Beran), Strings (Anders Rønnow-Klarlund), Kuky se vrací (Jan Svěrák), Zelený křeček (Bedřich and Světlana Glaser) and Seventeen, a feature-length documentary about Buchty a loutky (Tomáš Petráň).
Buchty a loutky has received awards at many festivals in the Czech Republic and abroad, for example, Skupova Plzeň, the Calgary Animated Objects Society Festival in Canada, Dschungel Wien, Internationales Theaterfestival Potsdam, Hohensteiner Puppenspielfest, Silkeborg Dukketeaterfestival in Denmark, and the Taipei Film Festival in Taiwan.
