Arman Kupelyan a kol.: Chuck My Life
Chuck My Life
A performance exploring the individual’s struggle to cope with the demands of everyday life through the lens of butoh-clowning.
Chuck, the main character, wants nothing more than to live a normal life. But his understanding of how to function and exist comes from self-proclaimed life “experts” and “coaches.” Trapped in a cycle of borrowed behaviors, Chuck imitates patterns he doesn’t truly understand.
His greatest passion? Inflatable balloons. He loves playing with them, being surrounded by them, and finds in them a pure source of joy. Caught between his love for balloons and the capitalist world he inhabits, Chuck experiments with various ways to survive materially—without giving up his happiness.
By combining the introspective, intense physicality of butō with the authenticity, vulnerability, and humor of clowning, this performance creates a unique synthesis—offering a glimpse into an exceptional state of being. Fragile and brutal aspects of human identity rise to the surface.
Created by: Arman Kupelyan, Emil Rothermel, Lydia Arinna Emir, Štěpán Plíva, Matěj Šumbera
Special thanks to: Tep39, Švestkový dvůr, Popbalet
Premiere: April 26, 2024, Alfred ve dvoře Theatre, Prague
About the Creators
Arman Kupelyan is an actor, clown, theatre maker, and educator originally from Armenia. He graduated from the Department of Nonverbal Theatre at HAMU (Academy of Performing Arts in Prague). A member of BodyVoiceBand, he has also worked with the healthcare clowning organization Zdravotní Klaun since 2022. In 2021, he co-created The Playground of the Unconscious Self, marking the start of his creative career.
Emil Rothermel was born in Bremen, Germany. He studied political science at Universität Leipzig, then directing and dramaturgy at DAMU under Lukáš Jiřička and Tomáš Procházka. His work includes the documentary performance Heimatschuss: My Grandpa, Your Grandpa (NoD Theatre), Linka: Makropulos at the National Theatre (2021), and Das Thema: Erika Mann? with the Czech-German cabaret Das Thema. In 2022, he directed RAF RAF RAF at DISK Theatre and in 2023 served as dramaturg for The Hitchcock Lesson at the Petr Bezruč Theatre in Ostrava.
Lydia Arinna Emir is a visual artist originally from Turkey. With a background in interior design, she earned a Master’s degree in scenography from DAMU. Her work spans creative technologies, theatre, interactive design, and architecture. She currently works in a spatial/architectural studio focused on sculptural design, while actively participating in various art and cultural projects.
Štěpán Plíva (*1996) is a queer performer, poet, singer, DJ, and music producer based in Prague. They focus primarily on contemporary electronic music, drawing strong influence from folklore and esotericism.
Matěj Šumbera is an actor, performer, and technician. A graduate of DAMU’s Department of Alternative and Puppet Theatre (KALD), he explores light, sound, and video technologies as a kind of “technological necromancer.” His solo piece Luminofor used motion and heartbeat sensors to control synthesizers and visual projections. As a puppeteer, he works with FRAS and Studio Damúza. His acting credits include Die Reise (Landestheater Niederösterreich / Terén), Deus Ex Machina (KULT Production), and The Noise of Time (MeetFactory). As a technician, he has collaborated with Theatre Viola and ensemble 11:55.
Supported by:
The City of Prague, Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, Czech State Fund for Culture, Prague 7 – Art District.
Alfred ve dvoře Theatre is supported by:
The City of Prague, Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, Czech State Fund for Culture, Prague 7 – Art District.
The performance will be in Czech language.