Spejbl & Hurvínek Theater

The humorous adventures of marionettes Spejbl, Hurvínek, Mánička, Mrs. Kateřina and Žeryk are beloved by all in the Czech Republic. The Spejbl & Hurvínek Theater has been operating in Prague since World War II.

The Spejbl & Hurvínek Theater was originally founded in Plzeň in 1930 by Professor Josef Skupa who was imprisoned during the Second World War, during which time the theater – the first professional marionette theater in the country – was closed. After his escape from prison the theater moved to the capital city. Nowadays, both main protagonists Spejbl and Hurvínek have their third generation of interpreters – following Skupa's student Miloš Kirschner, we now see the talents of Martin Klásek. During the 90 years of its existence, the marionettes have undergone many physical changes regarding their appearance and size. They also change their costumes regularly, depending on the individual plays they appear in. Performances by the Spejbl & Hurvínek Theater are designated for children from four years of age and up, but adults will also have a good laugh at their humorous adventures (moreover, there are regular performances once a month created especially for adults). The main protagonists of the comedies are the father and son team of Spejbl and Hurvínek who each represent a different view of the world stemming from their generation gap and the resulting differences in opinion between the two generations. Spejbl and Hurvínek entertain audiences both in the Czech Republic and abroad, as the theater makes international appearances with their marionettes several times a year for short-term and longer-term tours.