Marián Amsler
Profile
Marián Amsler graduated in theatre dramaturgy from the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava where he also completed his doctoral study in drama direction. His stagings of Chekhov’s plays Platonov and Ivanov produced at the university were awarded at international theatre festivals in Warsaw, Prague and Brno. For both productions, Amsler won the Dosky Award in the Discovery of the Season category. After the completion of his studies, he worked as a director in collaboration with numerous Slovak and Czech theatres (Drama Department of the Slovak National Theatre, Andrej Bagar Theatre in Nitra, Slovak Chamber Theatre in Martin, Aréna Theatre in Bratislava, Dejvice Theatre in Prague, Petr Bezruč Theatre in Ostrava, Drama Studio in Ústí nad Labem). In 2005, he co-founded the independent Letí Theatre in Prague which has maintained an exclusive focus on contemporary dramatic texts. From 2008 he worked as in-house director for the HaTheatre in Brno and between 2010 and 2014 was its artistic director. Between 2015 – 2018, he acted as director and artistic director of ASTORKA Korzo ’90 Theatre, Bratislava. Amsler currently works as an assistant professor at the Department of Direction and Dramaturgy of the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava.
Marián Amsler is one of the directors who keep returning to the plays written by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, or at least to his motifs (Platonov, Ivanov, Three Sisters, Smokers and Saviours, You Will Eat Yourself, The Cherry Orchard, Hostel Tchekhov). While still a student at the Academy of Performing Arts, Amsler proved to be a mature theatremaker able to communicate his message through a production clearly and with great artistic quality. His student productions of Chekhov’s Platonov and Ivanov oscillated between comedy, farce, and drama and were much more than just skillfully staged productions – they were also a generational expression commenting on contemporary society. In his early productions, Amsler succeeded in sensitively interpreting the feelings of modern young people. His entire line of work displays a strong interest in current affairs as such. This kind of focus is primarily reflected in the selection of production titles – these mostly include contemporary drama, texts that have not been stage so far, or adaptations of novels. Amsler’s field of vision encompasses also Slovak and world classics which he supplies with a hallmark of contemporaneity and topicality.
In contemporary texts directed by Amsler, there is usually a latently present effort to do less traditional forms of theatre and formal experiments. A good example of this is one of his most recent productions, the adaptation of Ingmar Bergman’s movie Fanny and Alexander, in which Amsler applied the “live cinema” method and form – something that has not yet been seen on Slovak stages in any project. Amsler is capable of defending and aesthetically promoting the chosen forms, which are often very complicated and technically difficult. The result is a synthesis of all theatrical elements and a distinctive stage form.
Amsler’s work with actors is based on exceptionally stimulating cooperation between the director and performer. This results in a synthesis of clear psychological motivations, authentic performance and suitably selected acting instruments that do not eschew delicacy or expressivity and always tastefully resonate along the specific stage situation. The ensemble of actors Amsler collaborates with can thus be tuned to offer a well-balanced performance. This strongly contributes to the harmonious artistic result. One of the striking attributes of Amsler’s direction is the well-balanced content and visuals of each production. He directs noticeable scenes that are easy to remember mostly owing to a distinctive harmonization of visual, musical and subject elements in the productions. He deliberately combines several theatrical concepts simultaneously, which produces a special, often dream-like stage energy.
Marián Amsler is a flexible director, a prolific artist working in two countries at the same time, who is able to stage a thematically strong, performative and humanely communicative production. The artistic testimony of Amsler’s work is proportional to the reality in which he creates it – he presents clearly formulated ideas using a broad scope of expression instruments that are compacted into a distinctive, striking whole.
- 2002 / Academy of Performing Arts and Studio 12, Bratislava / Olga Mukhina: Tanya – Tanya
- 2003 / Academy of Performing Arts, Bratislava / Anton Pavlovich Chekhov: Platonov
- 2003 / Aréna Theatre, Bratislava / Olga Mukhina: You
- 2003 / Aréna Theatre, Bratislava / David Gieselmann: Mr. Kolpert
- 2004 / Studio 12, Bratislava / Ivan Vyrypaev: Dreams
- 2004 / Slovak Chamber Theatre, Martin / Phyllis Nagy: The Talented Mr Ripley
- 2004 / DISK Theatre, Theatre Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, the Czech Republic / Vassily Sigarev: Plasticine
- 2004 / Studio 12, Bratislava / Eva Maliti-Fraňová: The Cave Virgin
- 2005 / Dejvice Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic / Isaac Bashevis Singer, Karel František Tománek: Lovestory
- 2005 / Aréna Theatre, Bratislava / Falk Richter: God is a DJ
- 2005 / Letí Theatre, Prague, the Czech Republic / Olga Mukhina: Flying
- 2005 / Theatre Studio Marta, Janáček Academy of Performing Arts, Brno, the Czech Republic / David Drábek: Aquabelles
- 2006 / Academy of Performing Arts, Bratislava / Anton Pavlovich Chekhov: Ivanov
- 2006 / Drama Studio Ústí nad Labem, Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic / Anton Pavlovich Chekhov: Three Sisters
- 2007 / Aréna Theatre, Bratislava / Michal Hvorecký: Plush
- 2007 / DISK Theatre, Theatre Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, the Czech Republic / Federico García Lorca: Blood Wedding
- 2007 / Letí Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic / Marián Amsler and a team of authors: Prague is FLYING
- 2007 / HaTheatre, Brno, Czech Republic / Petr Janeček, Luboš Balák, Pavel Baďura: Black Ambulance
- 2007 / West Bohemian Theatre in Cheb, Cheb, the Czech Republic / Caryl Churchill: Top Girls
- 2007 / Andrej Bagar Theatre, Nitra / Július Barč-Ivan: Mother
- 2008 / National Theatre Brno, Reduta Theatre, Brno, the Czech Republic / Jean Genet: The Maids
- 2008 / HaTheatre, Brno, Czech Republic / Agatha Christie: And Then There Were None (Ten Little... )
- 2008 / HaTheatre, Brno, Czech Republic / Marián Amsler, Luboš Balák: Ecstasy
- 2008 / Letí Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic / Viliam Klimáček: Au Pairs
- 2009 / Slovak National Theatre, Bratislava / David Gieselmann: The Farm
- 2009 / HaTheatre, Brno, Czech Republic / David Gieselmann: Mr. Kolpert
- 2009 / HaTheatre, Brno, Czech Republic / Marián Amsler, Luboš Balák: Bohnice or Man, Don’t Get Annoyed With Me
- 2010 / Petr Bezruč Theatre, Ostrava, Czech Republic / Iztok Lovrić: Lemonade
- 2010 / HaTheatre, Brno, Czech Republic / Viliam Klimáček: I Am Kraftwerk!
- 2011 / Letí Theatre and Theatre on the Balustrade, Prague, Czech Republic / Viliam Klimáček: I Am in Prague, My Liver’s in London (part of the project Heaven Not Receiving)
- 2011 / HaTheatre, Brno, the Czech Republic / David Gieselmann: The Pigeons
- 2011 / HaTheatre, Brno, the Czech Republic / Anna Saavedra: Czech Currency
- 2011 / HaTheatre, Brno, the Czech Republic / Falk Richter: Delirium
- 2012 / Slovak National Theatre, Bratislava / Anna Jablonská: Pagans
- 2012 / HaTheatre, Brno, the Czech Republic / Anna Saavedra: A Secret Message From a Planet of Mothers / Mamma Guerilla
- 2012 / Letí Theatre, Praha, the Czech Republic / Bernhard Studlar: iPlay
- 2012 / HaTheatre, Brno, the Czech Republic / Marius von Mayenburg: Perplex
- 2013 / HaTheatre, Goose on a String Theatre and Theatre at the Table, Brno, the Czech Republic / a team of authors: Rozrazil
- 2013 / Academy of Performing Arts, Bratislava / Anna Saavedra: Smokers and Saviours
- 2013 / HaTheatre, Brno, the Czech Republic / Anton Pavlovich Chekhov: You Will Eat Yourself (Platonov)
- 2014 / Slovak National Theatre, Bratislava / Charlotte Brontë, Marián Amsler, Anna Saavedra: Jane Eyre
- 2014 / ASTORKA Korzo ’90 Theatre, Bratislava / Sławomir Mrożek: Love in the Crimea
- 2014 / Slovak National Theatre, Bratislava / a team of authors: The Ten Commandments (Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness Against Your Neighbour)
- 2014 / Letí Theatre in the DOX Gallery, Prague, the Czech Republic / Esteve Soler: Against Progress. Against Love. Against Democracy.
- 2014 / City Theatre Kladno, Kladno, Czech Republic / Agatha Christie: Death on the Nile
- 2014 / HaTheatre, Brno, Czech Republic / Marián Amsler, Kateřina Tučková: The Expulsion of Gerta Schnirch
- 2014 / ASTORKA Korzo ’90 Theatre, Bratislava / Anna Saavedra: Smokers and Saviours
- 2015 / GUnaGU Theatre, Bratislava / Viliam Klimáček: The Dark Side of the Moon
- 2015 / Aréna Theatre, Bratislava / Marián Amsler, Honoré de Balzac: The Splendours and Miseries of Courtesans
- 2015 / HaTheatre, Brno, the Czech Republic / Marius von Mayenburg: Martyr
- 2015 / Klicper Theatre Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic / Molière: The School for Wives
- 2015 / Letí Theatre, Prague, the Czech Republic / Falk Richter: Small Town Boy
- 2015 / ASTORKA Korzo ’90 Theatre, Bratislava / Marián Amsler, Anton Pavlovich Chekhov: The Cherry Orchard
- 2015 / J. K. Tyl Theatre in Pilsen, Pilsen, Czech Republic / Friedrich Schiller: Intrigue and Love
- 2016 / Academy of Performing Arts, Bratislava / Lenka Garajová: Hostel Tchekhov
- 2016 / Slovak National Theatre, Bratislava / Marián Amsler, Ingmar Bergman: Fanny and Alexander
- 2016 / HaTheatre, Brno, Czech Republic / Marián Amsler: He
- 2016 / National Theatre Brno, Czech Republic: Karel Schulz, Lenka Lagronová: The Stone and the Pain
- 2016 / Aréna Theatre, Bratislava / Peter Lomnický: Submission
- 2017 / Slovak Chamber Theatre Martin / Oscar Wilde, Marián Amsler: The Picture of Dorian Gray
- 2017 / ASTORKA Korzo ’90 Theatre, Bratislava / David Gieselmann: Container Paris
- 2017 / Petr Bezruč Theatre, Ostrava, Czech Republic / Agota Kristoff, Marie Špalová: The Notebook
- 2017 / Letí Theatre, Prague, the Czech Republic / Marius von Mayenburg: Bang
- 2018 / Andrej Bagar Theatre, Nitra /Duncan Macmillan: People, Places, and Things
- 2018 / Peter Mankovecký Theatre – civic association, Bratislava / Marián Amsler: Cowards
- 2018 / Slovak National Theatre, Bratislava / Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy: War and Peace
- 2018 / Letí Theatre, Prague / S.dCh.; Vít Peřina, Hana Lehečková, Adam Skala, Kamila Krbcová, Egon Bondy, Marco Ferreri: Dinner with a New Play – in the Garden
- 2018 / National Theatre, Brno, Czech Republic / Pavel Jurda, Marcel Carné, Jacques Prévert: Children of Paradise
- 2019 / Comedy Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic / David Bowie, Enda Walsh, Walter Tevis: Lazarus
- 2019 / Slovak National Theatre, Bratislava / Ruben Östlund: The Square
- 2019 / Peter Mankovecký Theatre – civic association, Bratislava / Marián Amsler: power(less)
- 2020 / Andrej Bagar Theatre, Nitra / Federico García Lorca, Anna Saavedra: The House
- 2020 / Letí Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic / Marián Amsler: Greta
- 2020 / South Bohemian Theatre, České Budějovice / Jiří Hájíček, Marie Špalová: Peasant Baroque
- 2020 / Peter Mankovecký Theatre, Bratislava / Andrej Kuruc: Socialism with a Warm Face
- 2021 / Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, Bratislava / Maxim Gorky: Touch Bottom
- 2021 / Aréna Theatre, Bratislava / David Bowie: Lazarus
- 2021 / Slovak Chamber Theatre, Martin / Anton Pavlovich Chekhov: Three Sisters
- 2022 / City Theatre, Žilina / Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy, Armin Petras: Anna Karenina
- 2003 / Dosky Award in the Discovery of the Season category for the production Platonov
- 2003 / Grand Prix at the International Festival of Theatre Schools in Warsaw for the production Platonov
- 2003 / Audience Award at the Zlomvaz International Festival in Prague for the production Platonov
- 2003 / Audience Award at the Setkání/Encounter International Festival in Brno for the production Platonov
- 2006 / Dosky Award in the Discovery of the Season category for the production Ivanov
- 2012 / Dosky Award in the Best Direction of the Season category for the production Pagans
- 2015 / Award of the Divadelní Noviny journal in 2014/2015 in the drama theatre category for Best Direction of the Season for the production The Expulsion of Gerta Schnirch
- 2016 / Dosky Award for Best Production of the Season for Fanny and Alexander produced at the Drama Department of the Slovak National Theatre.