As the name suggests, the production is a combination of martial arts with pantomime, after all, one of the three co-authors of the screenplay, director and protagonist of MiMJs is mime Radim Vizváry, who has been collaborating with Losers Company for a long time.
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The story relies on the proven fairy-tale polarity of good and evil, which is presented here by Queen Hidora (at the premiere of Anna Polívková, alternated by Vanda Hybnerová and Irena Kristeková) peeling people’s eyes. Against it stands the experienced martial arts master Mimstr (Radim Vizváry) and his three assistants (Jindřich Panský, Mates Petrák and Matyáš Ramba), who gradually dedicate themselves to martial arts and together they defeat Hikora.
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The story takes place without words, accompanied by oversized music and sounds, its main means of expression is a movement in which the presentation of pantomime and martial arts by Radim Vizváry predominates. However, the first third of the hour-long performance loses its tempo and appeal (not only) to children’s audiences, which are starting to get bored. The children next to me strongly and repeatedly asked my parents when it would be over. This is followed by an equally lengthy performance of the evil queen and then martial arts lessons, where the desired humorous exaggeration is added to the physical activities.
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Colorful and cheerful inflatable puppets are accepted by children with joy.
Photo: František Ortmann
At the end, oversized inflatable puppets are added, representing the animal representatives of the four warriors trapped inside them. This part of the show is most grateful for the children, because the animals are easier to identify with and, moreover, they are reliably entertaining, even if they don’t show much. Despite the animated conclusion, it cannot be overlooked that the story is sewn very weakly, lacks continuous dramaturgy, gradation and scoring of individual situations, and even in terms of acrobatics, it does not offer that much, due to the movement mastery of the Losers.
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Unlike the previous collaboration with Radim Vizváry on the production of Heroes, or the older “boy’s” production Walls and Handbags, which is possible at the Bravo Theater! also seen, the MiMJs are a step backwards in the creation of the Losers, or rather an embarrassed trampling on the spot. This is despite the enthusiastic premiere reception, however, more for adults than for children.
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| Matěj Randár, Radim Vizváry and Petr Horníček: MiMJOVÉ |
| Directed by Radim Vizváry, stage by Petr Horníček, costumes by Marek Cpin, music by Ivo Sedláček, dramaturgy by Matěj Randár. Premiere on September 25 at the Bravo! Theater, Prague. |
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