Here's what Ada Milea says about this production: "I wanted it to look like a train journey towards the front line, with the possibility of «derailing» from what it seems to be. I chose a few characters and situations, and placed them in the train, even if they got nothing to do with the travel from Hašek's book. I was interested in the different attitudes each one has towards destruction and death. The book (and I hope also the concert) fully exploits the humour of the situations and proves that war is an utter madness with nothing to do with us (unless, of course, it kills us)".
Ada Milea's musical journey - like it happens in most of her other concert-performances - intertwines humour and serious reflection, as we can see from the lyrics of a song whose protagonists are Švejk, Dub, Lukas and Otto Katz: "They can arrest you anytime / for what you've merely dared to think / for writing a suspicious word in a line / you must watch what you say / when, where, to whom / lest you should wake up speaking to the enemy". Examples can go on, but we don't want to take the viewers' pleasure to discover all themselves.
Jaroslav Hašek (30 April 1883 - 3 January 1923) was a satirical, humorist, anarchist Socialist Czech writer, known especially for his novel The Fateful Adventures of the Good Soldier Švejk, written between 1921 and 1923, and translated in over sixty languages, a novel regarded as the writer's masterpiece and one of the best novels of the 20th century. A partial translation in Romanian was signed in 1935 by Gafița Buga, while the integral variant, translated by Al. O. Teodoreanu and Jean Grosu, with original illustrations by Josef Lada, was published in 1956. Many scenes and characters from the novel are inspired by the military service Hašek completed within the 91 Infantry Regiment from the Austrian-Hungarian Army. Hašek also wrote more than one thousand five hundreds short stories. He worked as a journalist, he led a bohemian and farcical life.
Ticket prices:
60 lei, 50 lei, 40 lei, 30 lei, 20 lei, 10 lei (depending on the seat location);
10 lei (discounts for pupils and students); 20 lei, 15 lei (discounts for pensioners).
From Jaroslav Hašek's extremely enjoyable novel, via Ada Milea, the "brave private Švejk", the famous character who wanders around the labyrinth of the First World War, lands on the stage of the National Theatre of Cluj (...) the cast members were dressed up as a pop-rock band, equipped with the appropriate musical instruments so as to maintain a state of constant madness: drums, guitar, trumpet, percussion, even a sort of alphorn, bells, harmonicas - the result was thrilling. The final product, a lively opera bouffe entitled Švejk in concert, is an exceptional bit of music-hall by Ada Milea (...) private Švejk's long, winding road within the "entrails" of war is shown through a strongly parodical lens, through comical songs and situations, and it is seen as a journey by train towards the battlefield or, just as well, towards an absurd nowhere.
The theme of the war is addressed head-on, with a well-crafted sort of black humour, which does not, however, trivialise the tragedy of WWI, nor does it obscure the innocence of this silly, clever and witty character, whom military doctors have declared "idiotic". The adventures and misfortunes experienced by the protagonist, as well as by other participants in the "glorious disaster" of the war are amusing, colourful, strident; all throughout the show, there is a fine layer of irony coating each scene. As Hašek's characters become dramatic personas, they are also caricaturised. They start off as literary characters but develop unique traits, sharpened by the exclusively comical performances of the actors (...) What else could I say to convince you not to miss this show, which keeps us warm and alive this winter in Cluj?
Ada Milea is a unique voice, that's for sure. Her music is a true source of energy, just like the artistic images she creates, from the stage movement to the characters' attitudes and expressions, all of which are echoed by the public. And they are all highlighted and well-used by the actors, who are in control of their roles and their functions in the show. It is what we have always wanted: actors who can play musical instruments (piano, trumpet, percussion), who are also talented singers, good dancers, with exact, precise movements. The result is predictable: roars of laughter, many rounds of applause, the spectators' reluctance to leave the theatre even after the show is done.
The ironic, incisive and revelatory dialogue alternates with fascinating songs and inflammatory texts, which are relevant regardless of place or time (...) The director Ada Milea "tackles" all genres and manners of musical and dramatic expression, skilfully combining the depth of the text with its intrinsic irony and with situational comedy and perfectly "coating" everything in the appropriate musical glaze.
Eugen Cojocaru, Svejk în concert / Svejk in Concert, in Luceafărul de dimineață, no. 4, April 2018
Ada Milea uses her main talent, that is, translating a literary text (or, better yet, its ideas) into rhymes and music, creating a self-sufficient show which has been called "concert-performance". It is a form of theatre not only because it relies on the actors' performances or because it has a (minimal) set, costumes and lighting, but especially because the entire structure is based on a dramatic dynamic. The songs alternate with short musical dialogues, the choir has an important function and interacts, musically, with the main characters, there are many sudden breaks in rhythm, which surprise us and restart the show, just as the action keeps starting and restarting in a conventional show. Theatrical technique seeps into the musical component, which is in fact the foundation of this kind of show, but the original music also draws on theatre and is especially made to highlight the actors' talents, so that they become an integral part of the production. And the cast is wonderful precisely because the actors have good musical abilities, a playful manner and flexibility. Without being professional singers, they prove that they have incredible vocal abilities, excellent rhythm and that they genuinely enjoy their craft (...)
