“PHANTOMYSTERIA” by the Physical Theater Company 12/11/08 Day 118

Day 118 (slide show) (video 1) (video 2)

I’m doing very well with my exercise routine every morning. I wish I had a few weights and other pieces of equipment but I’m making due. Something is happening with the gear because this morning I checked my email at the Bohemian Bagel shop and I have an invoice from the warehouse. Finally I'm getting some kind of news. The cost turns out to be a little higher then I expected coming mostly from the Hamburg transfer fees. The total is 7840czk ($420.00) and I was expecting about $300.00 so not to bad. It will all be worth it as long as I get the crate. I am very worried about the costumes clearance.

So now the next step is to go out there and see the condition of the crate. I haven’t actually seen the thing because 5 months ago I dropped off my stuff at ETC International in Long Beach, CA in storage boxes. I paid the manager Moses to build the crate, I can only hope that he did a good job. I have a new friend here named Alexey, a great guy who is going to go with me tomorrow to help translate if needed. I have sent an email to the van driver that I’m getting close and be ready but haven’t heard from him yet. The invoice doesn’t say that I can pick up tomorrow but I want to go talk to them in person and pay the invoice quickly. With Alexey there I can find out if there will be any unexpected surprises. I think I have everything in order. Who knows though.

Even though I don’t know how this will turn out at least things are starting to move along. I always knew that getting this gear was going to be a major hurdle. Now I’m very and anxious about what is next so I decided to take my mind off it and attend a Retro Musical with some new friends Martina, Uri and Mari at an abandoned warehouse. The place looks like it was bombed out and as I went in I thought about how in the states they would never let this happen because of the liability costs. Evidently this warehouse is to be leveled soon and this acting troupe gets permission to hold their event before the demolition crew starts their work.

They are called The Physical Theater Company and the play they performed is called "PHANTOMYSTERIA". (An open air performance) I’m told they perform many different plays all over Europe and have received great reviews. It is all spoken in Czech tonight but I could get the story line very easy. I was quite impressed with the acting and writing. I will try to explain here but if you review the attached photos I have an explanation on those as well.

First I have to say, the way I saw it, as a play depicting their impression of “American Corporate Fascism” in the future. It starts with a guy getting laid off or fired I’m not sure which. The story is of what happens in his mind as much as what is happening around him. This poor executive gets tortured and invents a friend to stop the pain and in the end shots his friend which as it turns out is himself. Now this review isn’t totally correct I’m sure but the story line didn’t seem that hard to follow. If anyone out there has a more detailed idea of the storyline please send me a note. I would love to see an English translation of this, my Czech is very limited. It was great though and I’m glad I saw it. I would say it was an amazing performance.

The cost was nice too, 100.00czk (about $5.00)

Tomorrow is a big day and I’m sure one of many to come.