Our Uppish and Defiant Fellows at The National Theatre

In 1887 the National Theatre’s first dramaturge wrote this, the first Czech realist play. Critics of the time found it too different, too unusual. They failed to understand it and rejected it. Yet time has proved its qualities; it has become one of the cornerstones of Czech drama. The author depicts the everyday life of a seemingly idyllic village in South Bohemia. Under the surface of neighbourly camaraderie, dramas are bubbling – there is rivalry for the prestigious designation of “first farmer”, along with discussions of who will become the night watchman. An unknown person threatens with arson. After more than a century, this play is more than ever ours – and about us.