Originally written in 1978, Protest is a searing confrontation set in Communist Czechoslovakia, where fear and betrayal are the daily currency of life. Staněk, a privileged, regime-friendly writer, summons Vaněk, a blacklisted dissident, to plead for help—only to hesitate when his own safety is at stake. Their tense—and often wickedly funny—conversation becomes a battle for the soul, exposing the corrosive power of fear and the high cost of integrity.

Performed with minimalist design and a laser focus on text and performance, this staging offers a rare theatrical experience: a live event that feels like a personal confrontation, challenging audiences to consider their own values and roles in civic life. Each performance will be followed by a conversation with the director and cast.

This production of Václav Havel’s seminal and urgently relevant play inaugurates The Fountain’s new upstairs alternative performance space.

Three Shows Only: Friday, August 22 at 8:00 PM, Saturday, August 23 at 8:00 PM, and Sunday, August 24 at 7:00 PM.

Upstairs at The Fountain Theatre
5060 Fountain Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90029

TICKETS: $30.00.