Cerebrum fēlix (The Happy Brain)

Cerebrum fēlix (The Happy Brain) is the latest project by independent theatre Uhol_92 and director Alžbeta Vrzgula. The production combines theatre, neurology, and philosophy and will be presented at the International Theatre Festival Divadelná Nitra as a world premiere within the "Newly Created" programme section.

The central character is Klaudia - a professional skier recovering from injury, neuroscientist, and poet who experiences an out-of-body encounter on a discussion forum and seeks her own definition of success and happiness. Klaudia and the creative team together formulate a thesis on radical happiness. The project sets two perspectives against each other: one argues that it is enough to be internally at peace with oneself - like Buddhist monks whose brain activity was the subject of scientific study. The second, inspired by Dutch historian Rutger Bregman's book "Moral Ambition", contends that talent and happiness should also be used to actively change the world.

The result is a performative lecture with elements of physical theatre that poses questions: Is an individual's happy brain useful for society? Should we be happy or engaged - and must we choose at all?

The project is created through international collaboration supported by the EFFEA programme, co-financed by the European Union. The creative team completed artistic residencies at the festivals "New Comedy" in the Czech Republic and Volts26 in Porto, Portugal.

In Slovak with English subtitles. No intermission. Performance duration is approximate.