Jan Frič

I do theatre.

Website is temporary. I am working on it.... ;)

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I am a theatre director and teacher at the Department of Scenography at the Theatre Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts (DAMU) in Prague and I love theatre.

2017-2022 I was resident director at the National Theatre in Prague. I am the author of more than 70 theatre productions (since 2008). I have worked in the Czech Republic in large theatre houses and on the alternative stages too. I have also done projects overlapping into other media (computer games, video, radio, exhibitions).

Four times I have received the most prestigious Czech Theatre Critics Award for the production of the year (2014: Velvet Havel, 2021: Vassa Zheleznova, 2023: Bacchae, 2025: Vultures).

In recent years I have focused on large-scale intepretation of classical drama. Spiritual overlaps, metaphor, hypnosis, sound design and personality acting are important to me.

I often work with Marek Cpin (costumes), Jana Hauskrechtová (scenography and costumes), Nina Jacques (dramaturgy), Přemysl Janda (light design), Jakub Kudláč (music), Marta Ljubková (dramaturgy), Dragan Stojčevski (scenography), Martin Špetlík (lightdesign)...

I have studied directing and dramaturgy at Drama department at the DAMU in Prague. I was born 1983.

Contact me: j4n.fric@gmail.com
Sign up for my newsletter here. (Info about updates of the web)

https://www.damu.cz/cs/lide/jan-fric-3386/

https://www.narodni-divadlo.cz/en/profile/jan-fric-1610345

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My latest production:

ORFEO ED EURIDICE (Christoph Willibald Gluck) [Nacucky Theatre Olomouc]
Reimagined classical opera driven by electronic music intepretation. An inclusive production featuring professional opera singers and an amateur theater group of senior women in chamber independent theatre.
https://divadlo.nacucky.cz/orfeus-a-eurydika

Currently working on:

ANTIGONE (Sophocles) [National Theatre Prague, premiere 4th March 2027]
Classical ancient text in new czech translation. Choir, horizontal acting, futurism.

Works that can be seen live and with English surtitles:

BACCHAE (Eurípidés) [National Theatre Prague 2023]
An ancient tragedy in the form of a stage concert. Czech Production of the Year 2023 Award.
https://www.narodni-divadlo.cz/en/show/bakchantky-119796287

VULTURES (Henry Becque) [Dejvice Theatre Prague 2025]
Four women against death and men. A French classic about cruelty. Stellar acting in a hypnotic haze at chamber magic box. Czech Production of the Year 2025 Award.
https://www.dejvickedivadlo.cz/en/repertoar?krkavci

WILD DUCK (Henrik Ibsen) [National Theatre Brno 2026]
A contemporary interpretation of Henrik Ibsen’s classic drama.
https://www.ndbrno.cz/cinohra/divoka-kachna/

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More selected works (not on stage now):

VASSA ZHELEZNOVA (Maxim Gorky) [National Theatre Prague 2021]
A classical drama about passing on an inheritance that no one wants. About fear. Hypnotic acting and important sound layer. Czech Production of the Year 2021 Award.
https://www.narodni-divadlo.cz/en/show/vassa-zheleznova-3266371

THE FATHER WATCHES OVER THE DAUGHTER (Ondřej Novotný) [National Theatre Prague 2022]
Contemporary drama. Live drawing and storytelling chorus.
https://www.narodni-divadlo.cz/en/show/the-father-watches-over-the-daughter-3266429

THE END LIGHT [National Theatre Prague 2020]
About near-death experiences and a tribute to Nick Land and rave music.
https://www.narodni-divadlo.cz/en/show/koncove-svetlo-1520411

OEDIPUS (Sophocles) [National Theatre Prague 2019]
A tragedy as a detective with a huge thurible.
https://www.narodni-divadlo.cz/en/show/kral-oidipus-cinohra-1520259

FAUST (Johann Wolfgang Goethe) [National Theatre Prague 2018]
Both parts of a tragedy. A real truck on the stage of a historic theatre. Saša Rašilov (Mephisto) got Best Actor of the Year 2018 Czech Critics Award.
https://www.narodni-divadlo.cz/en/show/faust-cinohra-1520269
Video version: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX4BdqzB_vhNaYAO3A8mDa39nRitP83Et

MISANTROPE (Molière) [National Theatre Prague 2019]
Hypocrisy and live video shooting with mobiles.
https://www.narodni-divadlo.cz/en/show/misantrop-cinohra-1520294

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FEAR TO EAT THE SOUL (Rainer Werner Fassbinder) [National Theatre Brno 2017]
Fassbinder’s movie as fairy tale. Ivana Hloužková (Emmi) got Best Actor of the Year 2017 Czech Critics Award and the production got The Josef Balvin Prize 2017 by the Prague Theatre Festival of the German Language to the creator of the best production based on a text originally written in German.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1343966205670350

VELVET HAVEL [Divadlo Na Zábradlí 2014]
A musical about Václav Havel. Czech Production of the Year 2014 Award.
https://www.nazabradli.cz/en/repertoar/velvet-havel_en/

OBLOMOV (Ivan Alexandrovich Goncharov) [Divadlo Na Zábradlí 2016]
Classic novel as a pause of pop star with a Buddhist overlay.
https://www.nazabradli.cz/repertoar/om-jako-oblomov/

ANTI-GONE BLACKOUT [A Studio Rubín 2016]
An expedition into Antigone's brain as she plots suicide in prison and tries to conncet with the gods.
https://astudiorubin.cz/inscenace/anti-gone-blackout

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WAR (Rainald Goetz) [Theatre X10 2015]
Postdramatic "classics" about violence in society.
https://www.hadivadlo.cz/hra/x10-valka/

GHOSTS (Henrik Ibsen) [Kladno City Theatre 2014]
A critically acclaimed expressive interpretation with a concrete wall that cries blood.
https://www.divadelni-noviny.cz/mestske-divadlo-kladno-henrik-ibsen-prizraky

CHERRY ORCHAD (Anton Pavlovich Chekhov) [Divadlo Na Zábradlí 2013]
A conceptual interpretation as a farewell to a glorious era of Prague theatre.
https://www.nazabradli.cz/repertoar/visnovy-sad/

ORESTEK [Divadlo Na Zábradlí 2011]
Author rework of Euripides’ drama Orestés.
https://vis.idu.cz/ProductionDetail.aspx?id=38917&mode=0&lang=en

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...listing of all major productions according to the Czech Theatre Institute:
https://vis.idu.cz/Productions.aspx?lang=en&person1Ids=39286

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All photos by Patrik Borecký.

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Thank you.

j4n.fric@gmail.com
Sign up for my newsletter here. (Info about updates of the web.)