Blood, Sweat, and Queers (Czechia/Germany)

Blood, Sweat, and Queers (Czechia/Germany)

By Tomáš Dianiška

Staged reading directed by Barbora Schnelle & Henning Bochert

Translated by Edward Einhorn and Katarina Vizina

Cast: Zinzer Jay, Laura Heisler, Jason Liebman, Natalia Payne

One of the most successful plays in contemporary Czech drama. It deals with a sports scandal of the interwar period that was hushed up in the Czech Republic for a long time. It is inspired by the life of the successful athlete Zdena Koubková (1913-1986), celebrated in the sports world of the time as a “wonder woman” and holding several world records until she was identified as intersex in 1936, changed her gender, underwent surgery to become Zdeněk Koubek. Together with the main character’s life story, Dianiška’s play also describes the increasing fascism of the 1930s, permeated by homophobia, transphobia and gender stereotypes.

Sponsored by Drama Panorama

Part of Rehearsal for Truth International Theater Festival honoring Vaclav Havel, produced by the Václav Havel Center and the Bohemian Benevolent and Literary Association.