The Story of the Astronomical Clock

The legend of Prague’s Astronomical Clock will come to life in this unique theatre on 6 November. Director Janek Jirků is preparing a puppet opera about the soul of a nation. Fifteen performances are planned by the end of the year.

About the production

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Prague Astronomical Clock Puppets

Two iconic symbols of the Czech capital and the Czech national character – the mechanical Prague Astronomical Clock and the traditional puppet character Kašpárek – will come together this autumn in an ambitious theatre project. Renowned director and director of Divadlo Minor Janek Jirků is working with the creative team on a puppet opera entitled The Story of the Astronomical Clock. Told in the form of mechanical theatre, the production will be presented for the first time at Prague’s Puppet Theatre on 6 November 2026 at 7:00 pm.

The premiere will be presented as part of the Přelet nad loutkářským hnízdem festival. The project pays tribute to Czech puppetry and the Old Town Astronomical Clock. The music is composed by Jiří Hradil, known from the bands Tata Bojs, Umakart and Kafka Band, who has also composed music for a number of successful theatre productions (including Zá-to-pek! and Černý partyzán). The elaborate stage design and visual concept were created by Mikoláš Zika and Jan Brejcha from the Tabula Rasa studio. The production is intended for both Czech and international family audiences.

The Story of the Astronomical Clock at Puppet Theatre

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Prague Astronomical Clock_Authors in the studio

Who does not know the Astronomical Clock? The ancient clockwork mechanism with Death ringing a bell and the twelve apostles peeking out of two blue windows every hour at the crowds of tourists below. The Astronomical Clock is a technological marvel, the oldest computer in Central Europe. Since 1409, with the same mechanism and the same configuration, it has shown not only the exact time but also the movement of the Sun, the Moon and the constellations across the Prague sky.

At the same time, the Astronomical Clock is a guardian of time – a silent witness to history, much of which unfolded in its immediate vicinity. As visitors, you will have the opportunity to experience “a unique phenomenon within a unique phenomenon” – the unique story of an extraordinary machine in an extraordinary theatre. You will experience magical Prague, full of mystery, in a theatre where the age-old magic of puppetry comes alive and reality mingles with fantasy and legend.

You will see puppet theatre in many styles and forms: shadow puppets, marionettes and glove puppets. The full richness of the Czech puppetry tradition in fifty minutes. Puppets both frightening and comic, trick puppets, wooden, transparent and even invisible puppets.

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Puppet Theatre is a unique theatre space in the basement of the Central Library building in Prague’s Old Town, with its own entrance from Žatecká Street. It is home to an amateur puppet theatre company that performs mainly at weekends. Other performances are presented by visiting companies. The theatre also offers programmes for schools.

Buy tickets here:
https://puppetstories.cz/