The Beauty and the Beast

The story of a girl who falls in love with a monster, perceiving his inner self more than his — apparently — hideous face and body, is intended for children and adults alike.

An impoverished circus director picks up a rose in an enchanted garden belonging to a terrible Beast. The Beast gets angry and threatens to kill the trespasser — unless one of his daughters pays for the father’s sins. When the youngest daughter, the Beauty, decides to sacrifice herself, she cannot imagine the consequences of her actions.  

The fairy tale Beauty and the Beast was published in 1972. It is the last finished work of the Czech poet and playwright František Hrubín to be performed at theatre during his live. Hrubín followed from a well-known ancient Indo-European legend and enriched it with his specific way of seeing the world. The story of a girl who falls in love with a beast because she can see his inner beauty and not only his — apparent —  ugliness is not meant only for children.

The directress Daniela Špinar has staged this ageless archetypal legend as an enchanting spectacle — our story indeed takes place not only in the Beast’s mysterious house, but also in the derelict circus where the Beauty with her father and sisters live. 

• Author: František Hrubín
• Stage director: Daniel Špinar
• Language: In Czech, surtitles in English
• Approximate running time: 1 hour 50 minutes, 1 intermission (20 minutes)

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