Tales of Common Insanity

Tales of Common Insanity (Czech: Příběhy obyčejného šílenství) (2001) is a play by Petr Zelenka which won the Alfréd Radok Award for Best Play. After its opening in Prague, the play was staged in other Czech cities, as well as being translated and staged in a number of other countries. Zelenka wrote and directed a film adaptation of the comedy, which was released as Wrong Side Up in 2005 and was also highly successful.

The comedy centres around Peter, a bachelor in his mid-thirties. He desperately wants to win back his girlfriend Jana and asks his friend Midge for help. Midge, another loner unable to form a long-lasting relationship with a woman, has gone through many break-ups and therefore considers himself an expert. Peter also has to visit his discontented parents.

Peter's mother ruined the family with her endless preaching. She has developed a strong passion for blood donation, and is agitated about the war in Chechnya. Peter's father, a former commentator for Communist newsreel, escapes to his own thoughts. He is preoccupied with the idea of whether a light bulb would fit in a mouth. Peter's neighbour, a composer engaged in a battle to receive royalties for performances of his music by synthesizers in elevators, is also very eccentric.

The cast includes 15 characters. The character of Petr's pedophile boss is sometimes omitted.

The play's world premiere was in the Dejvice Theatre in Prague on 16 November 2001. The opening months were directed by the playwright, Petr Zelenka. The play ran until 13 October 2009. Ivan Trojan played the leading role as Petr. Nina Divíšková was nominated for a Thalia Award for her role as Petr's mother, and Miroslav Krobot received the Alfréd Radok Award for "Talent of the Year". Other notable actors in this production included Martin Myšička as Midge, and Lenka Krobotová as Silvie.

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