The story of two girls whose lives are turned upside down, told using comic book techniques with elements of movie gangsters, in the first Czech rap musical.
T"Those who want to bounce back have to hit rock bottom. But what if he or she falls into the mud of small-town life there? We offer a rhythmic guide to getting out with a song on your lips." - Jan Hanzlík, co-author
"We should realize that life is great!" - Tomáš Dianiška, co-author and director
Two rather impractical girls, Anna and Dáša, are looking for a roommate under the weight of their financial situation, and they end up choosing an inconspicuous boy from Zlín among the potential candidates. But their seemingly sensible decision unexpectedly turns their lives upside down. When they find a strange package in their backpack, a confluence of situations leads them into the drug underworld and even forces them to join a gang war. The relationship between the two girls is put to the ultimate test; they must try to save each other and choose between bad and worse.
Will they be able to pull through?
"It's a raucous comedy with lots of twists and turns about what can happen when you need to raise a lot of money fast. We all imagine at times what would happen if we suddenly, illegally, fabulously got rich and how we would behave in the face of mortal danger. We'll show you so you don't have to get into that," says director Tomáš Dianiška, adding that he started out in Liberec years ago and had a rap band himself. Now we've put together a full, packed line-up and the musical is here! Pure joy."
The raucous comedy Night of the Broken Nails was written by Lenka Veverková, Jan Hanzlík and Tomáš Dianiška, who also directed. They were inspired by the audio series Snowdrops and Gangsters, which they significantly reworked for the theatrical release. The first domestic rap musical will be staged in its world premiere at Prague's Divadlo pod Palmovkou.
The Night of Broken Nails combines rap, humour, controversy and suspense to offer the viewer an extremely intense experience. The rap songs for the production were written by Kato aka Def aka Deph, frontman of Prago Union, former head of the cult group Chaozz and an important representative of the Czech rap scene and DJ. The stage in Libeň will feature a live band with the proven line-up of Jakub Hlobil, Jan Nikendey and Sebastian Lang. Under the direction of the award-winning Tomáš Dianiška, the cast will include not only the stalwarts of the Divadlo pod Palmovkou ensemble - Ivana Wojtylová, Jan Teplý, Martin Němec and Jaroslav Blažek and a rare guest actor Karolína Baranová - but also new talents who have succeeded in the acting audition: Kateřina Hrdinová, Lucie Michálková, Teodor Dlugoš and Tomáš Vardan reinforced by the experienced Peter Reif.
World premiere: 20 September 2024
Running time: 2 hours 10 minutes, including intermission
The show is suitable for ages 15 and up.
The performance uses a strobe light.
“Dianiška’s distinctive directorial handwriting came through in full force in the punchlines of the dialogues and the plot’s unexpected complications. He drives his smart humour to the point of absurdity; comic-book exaggeration and almost unbelievable situational twists become, in his direction, a source of comedy and the absurd that won’t let the audience catch its breath. An integral—if not the key—component of this musical is, of course, the music. I admit that the idea of seeing a rap musical made me somewhat uneasy. I’m neither an expert nor a fan of the genre, and I was a little afraid of whether—deafened by rap—I’d make it to the end. But my worries were completely unfounded, and I have to acknowledge that the production’s musical dimension is excellent. It significantly shapes the overall impression of the piece and is composed with great imagination and melodic flair.”
Štěpánka Nohýnková, 90%, kultura21.cz
“Kindred millennials will appreciate the nod to the board game Dostihy a sázky (Horse Racing and Betting), the addict Katka, and above all the presence of the Executioner and his lyrics. The musical numbers have swing and momentum, helped by the live band and, for instance, the impressive delivery of guest performer Baranová Karolína. (…) Acting-wise, both the company’s new additions (namely Hrdinová Kateřina and Michálková Lucie in the lead roles, as well as the seasoned Reif Petr as one of the villains) and the local mainstay Teplý Jan stand out. He clearly relishes the role of the Zlín mobster Viktor. That is why the musical numbers featuring this character rank among the best parts of the evening.”
Tomáš Šťástka, 75%, idnes.cz
“Another in a series of Dianiška’s productions that makes generous use of his fondness for—and knowledge of—genre films, drawing on them, their conventions, and their clichés. Connoisseurs will find plenty of specific references, but being a connoisseur isn’t necessary. The production works so well on its own as an entertaining parody of genre stereotypes and an intense ride. Where the first part makes strong use of the promised rap, it also brings something new compared to his previous similar pieces. As the rap recedes, the solid pace weakens in the second part as well. Even so, the production remains enjoyable. It offers little more than entertainment, a very successful integration of new faces into the DpP ensemble, and Baranová K.’s excellent singing—but that entertainment is very good indeed.”
Iva Bryndová, 70%, iDivadlo.cz
“With Tomáš Dianiška’s recent plays (Tajemný pan Zet, Den zúčtování), I had the sense of a certain creative fatigue, but this parodic ride really struck a chord with me. Anyone expecting a deeper message will probably be disappointed, but for switching off and having a laugh, this production is ideal. It’s packed with dark humour and pop-culture references, this time mainly of a Tarantino-esque flavour. The label ‘rap musical’ is a bit of an exaggeration, since rap is more of a seasoning here and nearly disappears toward the end of the show. It’s good that the author doesn’t get tangled up in too many side plots this time, and instead heads straight for the finish. The actors benefit from the stylised exaggeration; Baranová K. is especially irresistible.”
Lukáš Dubský, 80%, i-divadlo.cz, 10 February 2025
