Radek Malý (*1977)
Graduated in both Czech and German studies from the Palacký University in Olomouc. He currently works as a translator and writer – he published three collections of poems and several books for children. He’s also the author of textbooks on Czech language and literature.
As both a poet and a translator from German he won awards in several competitions (Literary Františkovy Lázně 2001, Jiří Levý Translating Competition 2000 and others.). In 2004, he represented the Czech Republic at the Leipzig book fair and was shortlisted for Lyricism Awards in Dresden. His poems were published in German-language – in Austria in the poetry magazine Podium (129/130, November 2003 translated by Christa Rothmeier; the issue was dedicated to Czech literature), and in Germany in the magazine Signum (Summer 2004, translated by Beate Smandek.
Feeling of a Night is his first attempt at writing a play.
FEELING OF A NIGHT TRAIN (POCIT NOČNÍHO VLAKU)
2M, 1F
Five dramatic studies exploring impressions of five carriages of a night train as metaphors for life both present and past. The dramatic analysis of a dysfunctional family, meaningless friendships, recurring monotonous first names or the conductor litany, and the poetic transformation of the wagon into a cattle car in the closing scene creates a strange and compelling universe coming together under the heading of “the feel of a train”.
Scene 1: Compartment for mothers with children. A Mother talks to her 29 years old son as though he is still 6 years. She's constantly comparing prices at gardening supermarkets while her The son tries to explain to his mother his girlfriend is pregnant and he is going to marry her. The mother is quite confused.
Scene 2: Dining Car. Pepan and Maru are finishing a meal in the Restaurant Coach; they are glad they can afford such luxury. They discuss their daughter who, being vegetarian, would not eat with them even if she was there. That’s why Maru would like to have another child, a boy; she starts making plans for his career while Pepan protests. Because of the argument they miss their stop.
Scene 3: Rail employees' compartment: The Conductor makes comparison between a train journey and death. His monologue is illustrated by strange images of murderous violence and strange sexuality.
Scene 4: Smoking compartment. A father tries to make his daughter to move to sit with him and her mother in the 1st Class compartment; he’s ready to pay the difference in the ticket price. The daughter complains of her solitude, and reproaches her father of having hidden existence of a brother who disappeared when she was two years old. Then she leaves to try to find the brother.
Scene 5: The cattle car. A brother and a sister talk inside a cattle car: they have a long journey ahead. They are afraid of dogs and scared of the Conductor and hide from him under the seats. The wagon becomes a cattle car in a Holocaust train going to a concentration camp. When the Conductor finally appears, they see he is their father.
The play was awarded an honourable mention in this year’s Alfréd Radok Playwriting Competition 2006 and the Prize of the Czech Radio 3 – Vltava.
Translated into English by Tomáš Liška.