Koule - příběh vrhačky – Drábek David (2011)

Radio plays do not provoke scandals. Drábek's Ball, however, attracted attention even before its premiere (on ČRo 3 – Vltava, directed by Aleš Vrzák, it premiered on January 25, 2011) and afterwards sparked a literal media dispute. It touches on the recent past, which we are still not able to confront. The drama is a fictional portrait of the aging Czechoslovak athlete Milena, who sacrificed everything for her love of sport: the state imposed doping on her, deprived her of privacy, chose her friends, decided on her participation in foreign competitions, and on her possibilities of starting a family. It is not so important whom or what the factual circumstances may remind one of. On one hand, Drábek's play is not literal, and on the other hand, it is necessary to perceive it as a whole for its understanding. Milena's confession is formulated as a radio interview with excerpts and set against the backdrop of regular broadcasting. The piece mocks the radio mass, the kitsch of some programs, the insecurities of their creators, the level of callers, nostalgia for socialism, and the muddled expressions. Such an image of society is indeed unflattering. Milena herself is portrayed as a rather tragicomic figure. The author shows her as a victim who is unaware of her share of guilt, as well as a person who has the need...