What do masks, political upheaval, and student theatre have in common? On Wednesday Oct. 10th, all will be part of the debut of Tuesday Night Cafe (TNC) Theatre’s latest production, Private View. The show will honour an important figure of Czech history, former president of Czechoslovakia Vaclav Havel, while telling a compelling story of individual struggle against the backdrop of political turmoil. Written in 1978 by Havel, the play is directed this year by McGill’s own Gabriela Petrov, U3.

The story centres around protagonist Vanek’s visit to the newly renovated home of his married friends, Vera and Michael, in the wake of the ’60s Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia. He finds that his friends have decided to remain unaffected to the political situation, instead focusing on the pursuit of pleasures in food, sex, family, and leisure. Vanek tries to communicate to them the desperate nature of their country’s predicament, but in the end the characters must all make their own choices.

According to Petrov, this is a story that remains relevant in today’s world. “There are a lot of comparisons to be made when you think about the nature of the protests that have been going on and the fact that these characters are dealing with a world in which protest is impossible,” Petrov said. “So they try and rebel in their own ways.”

TNC is one of McGill’s oldest student-run theatre companies, producing plays written by both internationally-renowned authors and student playwrights. Private View is the first play Petrov has directed while at McGill, but she has acted her whole life.”

“I’m a performer, first and foremost,” she said, “but I found it immensely helpful to be able to approach directing from the angle of the actor.”

Petrov noted that her history of acting gave her insight into what to avoid as a director, often drawing  on her personal experiences see the show from the shoes of her cast.

She believed that directing Private View was one of her most edifying experiences at McGill.

The retelling of Private View honours Havel’s legacy, an intriguing figure who was a staunch opponent of Soviet intervention in his country. He was known for his political dissidence, and most of his written works creatively challenge social injustices. Havel’s death in 2011 elicited tribute by well-known figures worldwide, from U.S. President Barack Obama to Czech novelist Milan Kundera.

Private View made its first North American appearance in 1983 at New York’s Public Theatre. In a review for the New York Times Magazine, the late art critic Mel Gussow wrote that “the dehumanizing effects of totalitarianism are demonstrated with wounding honesty and irony in Vaclav Havel’s ‘Private View.’ This…is an event of artistic and political urgency.”

Throughout the play, the subconscious desires of the couple are acted out by masked figures. The use of masks is not something often seen in theatre productions, but they serve to make the TNC’s rendition stronger.

“It was hugely different to be part of a play with masked actors, even since the audition process” Petrov said. “It was challenging at first, but we had an amazing group of people who are so talented…I’m really excited about the show.”

Given the play’s rich history, relevance to current events, and the production’s creative presentation, there’s certaintly reason to be.

TNC’s production of Private View runs from Oct. 10th to Oct. 13th, and Oct. 17th to Oct. 20th at Morrice Hall