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Everyone has experienced the atmosphere of public toilets at some point. After we pay, we smile at the toilet attendant and go about our business. None of us think about how many people pass through here daily, how many toilets get cleaned, or where all these people come from. However, the main protagonist will do everything to find out. Or will she? How far will her own conscience allow her to go?
The performance starts calmly with humorous parts bordering on stand-up comedy. As time goes on, we learn more information, not only about the main character, but also about the people she encounters in her work. Gradually, a deeper psychological layer of the story is revealed. Calm and more aggressive parts alternate, which pleasantly correspond to the text expressing the necessary emotions, pushing the plot forward along with the actress. The protagonist’s thoughts are loud but truthful, and certainly familiar to the audience. Everything that happens on the stage is clear, through parts that physically complement the situations and parts that point to an inner struggle. With regard to the directing, I would praise the very precisely-planned handling of props and the way they were treated during the performance.
The room where the whole story takes place is an ordinary black box, utilizing an open space. By moving, positioning, and adjusting chairs, the actress captivated the audience, and by working with symbolic props, she reinforced their attention. The lighting often enhanced the emotion the actress was experiencing, not only by changing colours but also because she adjusted them herself. At a wave of her hand, like under a conductor’s baton, the lights returned to normal, and the echoing music stopped. At that moment, the actress had time to calm down and process her thoughts and emotions better. The music interestingly accentuated transitions, and its variety was refreshing.
Andrea Tesařová presented a very authentic and captivating piece of work. Her portrayal of the young ‘toilet attendant’ was extraordinary yet understandable. Throughout the performance, she played with various moments in such a way that the audience was simply captivated and eagerly awaited what she would deliver next. She managed not only the humorous moments but also awkwardness, fear, madness, and aggression. She didn’t shy away from improvisation and always managed unexpected situations calmly. The wide range of meticulously crafted moments was fascinating, and the story she told found its way into the minds of all viewers. Now it’s up to us to decide when it’s necessary to take certain things into our own hands and find ourselves within ourselves.
