Theatre on the Balustrade

Theatre on the Balustrade (Divadlo Na zábradlí) is a Prague stage that holds a singular place in European theatre history as the birthplace of Czechoslovak absurdist drama and the venue where Václav Havel first found his voice as a writer. The building sits in the heart of the Old Town, on a small street running from Anenské náměstí down toward the Vltava embankment – the very street that gave the theatre its name.

How was the Theatre on the Balustrade founded?

The stage opened its doors on 9 December 1958. The city granted the space to four artists – Helena Philippová, Jiří Suchý, Vladimír Vodička and Ivan Vyskočil – who set out to establish Prague's first theatre of its kind. That same evening saw the premiere of "Kdyby tisíc klarinetů" ("If There Were a Thousand Clarinets"), the production that launched the theatre's existence.

Why is this venue linked to the theatre of the absurd?

After Suchý and Vyskočil left following artistic disagreements, director Jan Grossman took over as artistic director in 1962. Under his leadership the theatre began cultivating a distinctly Czechoslovak strand of absurdist drama – a movement gaining traction across Europe at the time, but one that took on a sharply political edge in Prague.

What role did Václav Havel play here?

The future playwright, dissident and later president of Czechoslovakia and then the Czech Republic began his career at this theatre as a stagehand. He was gradually allowed to work as a dramaturge and assistant director, which brought him into close collaboration with Jan Grossman, who became an important creative mentor. It was on the stage of Na zábradlí that several of Havel's key early plays premiered – "The Garden Party," "The Memorandum," and "The Increased Difficulty of Concentration." Blending grotesque comedy with a sharp critique of bureaucratic and totalitarian language, these works established Havel as one of the leading dramatists of his generation.

What happened after 1968?

The Warsaw Pact invasion that crushed the reformist Prague Spring movement also reshaped the theatre's fate. In its aftermath, Jan Grossman and Václav Havel were forced to leave Theatre on the Balustrade for political reasons – their work and its openly critical tone toward the regime had become unacceptable to the authorities of the time.

Why is this place worth visiting today?

Theatre on the Balustrade is more than a stop on Prague's theatrical map; it stands as a living monument to Czech cultural history of the latter half of the 20th century, a place where literature, politics and stagecraft intertwined with unusual intensity. Walking through the Old Town, it's worth pausing at this modest stage tucked into a side street to consider that this is where the voice of one of Central Europe's most important intellectuals first took shape.

Frequently asked questions

When did the Theatre on the Balustrade open? The theatre opened on 9 December 1958, with its first production being "Kdyby tisíc klarinetů."

Who founded the theatre? It was founded by Helena Philippová, Jiří Suchý, Vladimír Vodička and Ivan Vyskočil.

What was Václav Havel's connection to the theatre? Havel worked there as a stagehand, then as a dramaturge and assistant director; several of his early plays had their premieres on this stage.

Where does the theatre's name come from? From the small street "Na zábradlí," running from Anenské náměstí toward the Vltava riverbank, where the building stands.

Why did Grossman and Havel leave the theatre? They were forced out in 1968 for political reasons, following the Warsaw Pact intervention that suppressed the Prague Spring.