Palach (1978)
by Alan Burns & Charles Marowitz
Designed & Directed by Robert Hedden
Performances: Sat 17th – Sun 18th February 1978, Prompt Corner
Contents
Introduction
The play revolves around the real life suicide, by burning, of the Czech student Jan Palach, in protest against the suppression and democracy at the time of the Warsaw Pact invasion of 1968. The students drew lots to decide who would set themselves alight first on the steps of Wenceslas Square, with each student intending to do the same afterwards. It was 3 days before Palach died, and no other students followed his example. When his grave in Prague Cemetery immediately became a focus for attention, his body was removed secretly overnight by the authorities and buried elsewhere.
PALACH was first presented at the Open Space Theatre on 11th November 1970
The performance lasted approximately one hour fifteen minutes and there was no interval
Cast
- Boy - Alan Slater
- Mum - Joan Ives-Brown
- Dad - Charles Phillips
- Girl - Jeanette Hoile
- Priest - Geoff Potter
- Students - Kevin Hastings, Debbie Hattersley, Angela McNamee, Anita Sollis, Steve Ward & Mark Wright
- Pianist - Lillian Frith
- Recorded Voices - John Anderson, Derek Bell, Pat Collier & Jean Warboyes
Crew
- Stage Manager - Pat Cantwell
- Assistant Stage Managers - Jack Fitzgerald, Eleanor Macquarrie, Dave Villant & Jane Whytehead
- Lighting Designer - Charles Wood
- Sound - Gordon Scott
- Musical Advisor - Donald Halliday
- Choreography for "Stars on Sunday" sequence - Jean Warboyes
- P.A. - Juliet Male
- Props - Debbie Hattersley
- Wardrobe - Sue Norman
- Set Construction - Bernie Bullbrook
- Cueing Operator - Linda Chubb
Reviews
Some review quotes go here
Gallery
Reminiscences and Anecdotes
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See Also
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Or add anything that is related within this site. The author's page for instance or other plays with a similar theme.
