Forceful and funny, powerful and poetic, La Putyka explores Czech pub culture through glazed eyes and beery breath... This energising, intensely vibrant spectacle fuses acrobatics, dance, theatre, puppets and live music into original contemporary circus that wins awards.

"Anyone who's spent time in a Czech, Australian or Scottish pub will recognise that potential for passion, whether violent or beautiful. It revels in fantasy, but it's still a real experience, not a simulacrum," says artistic director Rostislav Novák, himself an eighth generation performer.

"Likewise, the French have wine and new circus, while the Czechs have beer and La Putyka – essentially a Czech new circus based on Czech pub life. Certainly we have been inspired by French sources of new circus, but our originality stems from our uniquely Czech history and temperament."

La Putyka has appeared in festivals from Australia, Scotland, Bosnia and Herzegovina to China.

Notable awards:

★ Production of the Year 2009 – a survey by the theatre fortnightly newspaper Divadelní noviny
★ NOMINATED for prestigious Total Theatre Awards 2011 – best Physical / Visual & Devised Performance in the UK
★ Sazka and Divadelní noviny Award – Best Alternative Theatre Production
★ Next Wave Festival Award – Personality of the year: Rostislav Novák jr.
★ Skupova Plzen Festival Award – Concept and Directing, Acting and Music
★ Three nominations for Alfred Radok Award – Production of the Year and Stage Music of the Year