The City Theatre is completing the stage version of the novel The Glass Room

source: tugendhat.eu

Brno - The Brno City Theatre is completing the stage version of the successful novel The Glass Room. British author Simon Mawer drew inspiration from the fate of the famous Brno Tugendhat Villa and its inhabitants, although the characters are fictional and the names have been changed. The result is a family saga as well as a historical fresco with several love triangles. In 2009, the book received a nomination for the prestigious Man Booker Prize, and there are also considerations for a film adaptation.
The author will attend the premiere, director Stanislav Moša told reporters today. Mawer has visited Brno several times; he also set his "generic thriller" Mendel's Dwarf in the city. He will combine his upcoming trip with participation in the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the famous lectures by Gregor Johann Mendel, the founder of genetics.
According to Moša, Mawer's novels are readable yet packed with ideas. The author also demonstrates remarkable knowledge of Czech and Brno history. "The book The Glass Room showcases the magnificent expansion of the Czechoslovak state between the world wars. The expansion is evident in the number of architectural works constructed in our city, not just the Tugendhat Villa," said Moša, who is also the author of the adaptation.
Following the interwar expansion, the book also follows other historical twists - the occupation, the expulsion of Jews, and the rise of communism. All these changes significantly impacted the fate of the villa in the novel, which first transforms into a biometric laboratory for studying racial purity and later into a physiotherapeutic gym. The play ends in 1968, while the novel continues until 1990.
On the stage of the City Theatre, a copy of the furniture from the Tugendhat Villa and a hint of the famous onyx wall will appear in the production. Other environments where the story takes place are represented more symbolically. The two-dimensional decorations draw inspiration from the Japanese art of folding and cutting paper.
The plot revolves around the married couple Landauer, played by Petr Štěpán and Pavla Vitázková. Other significant roles are portrayed by Michal Isteník, Ivana Vaňková, and Svetlana Janotová. The premiere will be on February 7.