ABSTRACT
MARIE RESLOVA The ten years since the change of our social system have seen the transition
of Czech theatres from a fully state-controlled (but also fully financed) network
to a free (and unfortunately only partially successful) structure. Theatre people
are still learning how to cope with this new situation and work within it. There
have been attempts to make the system of subsidy more flexible and to
transform theatres into self-sufficient and independent economic units. For the
vast majority of Czech theatre ensembles, the actual running of the theatre,
including its management and funding, is a decisive factor, which limits their
possibilities. It tends to influence almost everything – the possibilities of the
repertoire, the scenography, the choice and number of actors, the time allowed
for rehearsals, and investment in technical equipment. Yet even today, as in
the time of the totalitarian regime, genuine theatre talent can make its mark.
