At the beginning there was a first folio and a portrait. Droeshout’s portrait. And then? The Shakespeare phenomenon. An author whose works are known the world over and are still required reading across continents. But who’s really behind them, we don’t know for sure. Poor Shaxper of Stratford-upon-Avon, Francis Bacon, a collective of women authors, a member of the royal family hiding behind a mask – or is it all still very different? Who do we believe in? And do we even need to know? The only thing we know for sure is that at the beginning of this theatrical puppetry quest in Brno is Patrick Sims, director of the French puppet troupe Les Antliaclastes, and a collective of students from the Theatre Faculty of JAMU. Where will their steps and the steps of the puppets lead? They will take you on the first part of their journey during this year’s DSB!

The production is a co-production of the French ensemble Les Antliaclastes, the Theatre World Brno festival, the Czech Centre in Paris and the Theatre Faculty of the Janáček Academy of Performing Arts.

The French part of the co-production is supported by the Ministry of Culture, the National Recovery Plan and the European Union.