Tag: Prague

The 38th Wretched Pun of Destiny segment aired May 30, 2015 as part of the “Dave’s Gone By” radio program hosted by Dave Lefkowitz.

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38.
Before he became president of Czechoslovakia, Vaclav Havel ran a small theater out of a convent in Prague. They had no money, so everything they needed, he had to swap for. If they required furniture for a set, Havel would trade eggs and homegrown produce for the loan of a couch and chairs. If a show needed stagehands, Havel and the sisters would offer to do housecleaning in kind.

Havel became so good at these arrangements, the theater company came out way ahead on every deal. This left him plenty of time not only to write and direct shows, but even create the costumes.

One time, during rehearsals for a Greek tragedy, Havel is backstage fitting the women for masks when in storm the government police to harass him for his political views.

“You can’t arrest him,” cries the Mother Superior. “We need him to run our theater.”

“You’ll just have find someone else,” says the cop.

“There is no one else! He’s the only one.”

“Really?” says the policeman. “The only theater director in Prague. What’s so special about him?”

“Can’t you see?” the woman replies. “He’s a Czech of all trades, and a masker of nuns.”