Happy Hour ( We’re all going to die here)

An anti-self-help cabaret about the futile struggle against the growing pressure to lead a happy life. What do you want? Are you authentic? Do you have control over your life? Do you like your body? Are you working on yourself? And couldn’t you do a little more? Do you know what you feel? And do you even know who you are? A loose theatrical adaptation of the comic book “The Pythia Talks” speaks about a world obsessed with advice, self-improvement, and the search for the “right” way of life. About a time that loves freedom but desperately seeks authority. With both lightness and ruthlessness, Strömquist asks why and when we gave up our own ability to make decisions and listen so eagerly to coaches, therapists, influencers, and algorithms. The ancient oracle Pythia becomes a guide through the landscape of contemporary uncertainty, anxiety, and the constant pressure to be happy. She reveals various versions of destinies unfolding within a limited timeframe – in the rhythm of sales, deadlines, and so-called “happy hours”. Swedish author Liv Strömquist is one of the most prominent figures in contemporary European comics. In her work, she intertwines philosophy, sociology, and pop culture, tackling the biggest existential questions with ice-cold irony. The more absurd reality becomes, the more precise her drawings are. Instead of answers, she offers questions; instead of moral judgments, she provides precise analysis. Lukáš Brutovský returns to directing, having previously staged notable productions at the National Theatre Brno, including “The Doctor”, “Noises Off”, and “(R)evolution”. This time, however, the production will be created collectively—in dialogue with the actors of the National Theatre Brno. Without a script. Without guarantees. Without a coach.

The comic book *Hovoří Pýthie* was translated from Swedish by Marie Voslářová and published by Nakladatelství Paseka (Translation © Marie Voslářová, 2025)

Premiere: 8th January 2027 at the Reduta Theatre

Production team

Autoři Liv Strömquist, Lukáš Brutovský a kol.

Režie Lukáš Brutovský