About Us
We established the independent art group 8lidí (8people) in 2017. We studied together at the Department of Alternative and Puppet Theatre at DAMU in Prague, where we formed a single year group, our subjects being directing, dramaturgy, and scenography, and later decided to continue working together. We are 8lidí, but really, there are ten of us. Our team is composed of Petr Erbes, Emilie Formanová, Nina Jacques, Boris Jedinák, Anna Klimešová, Alice Kofláková, Karolína Kotrbová, Zuzana Sceranková, Vendula Tomšů, and Viktorie Vášová.
What We Do
We mostly create projects related to current social topics that operate on the borders of theatre, performance, installation, and happenings. Crucial for our mode of working is a collective, non-hierarchical method at all phases and levels. We understand such collective practice as a political gesture.
At the centre of our attention is the spectator as a human being, a citizen, and an individual. We place him in the centre of our attention, his actions thus becoming an inseparable part of the work. We explore both the position of the spectator in the theatrical form and the position of theatre in society. We ascribe the highest possible importance to the spectator’s artistic analysis, to his capacity to intuitively read and understand theatrical events.
Awards
- Next Wave 2020 festival awards – Talent of the Year
- Ceny divadlení kritiky (Theatre Critics’ Award) – Alternative theatre – Sametová simulace (Velvet Simulation) – nomination –
Jiří Havelka, Petr Prokop, Ondřej Cihlář, Marta Ljubková, and 8lidí for the Sametová simulace project, Vosto5, 8lidí, Drama of the National Theatre, the National Museum, and Archa Theatre
Collaborations
We collaborate – often and happily – with people outside our group and across various fields. Our external collaborators include David Babka, Ian Mikyska, Michal Cáb, Honza Tomšů, Václav Hruška, Matouš Hejl, members of the 11:55 group, Jiří Janák , Jiří Sádlo, Jiří Žák, Kateřina Klementová (Doležalová) and others.