Prague is a city rich in culture and tickets to performances are comparably cheap to other countries. Czechs take pride in this and treat going to the theater/opera/ballet as a special occasion. If you want to blend in, these tips may help.
Dress code
- Generally, if you’re going to see an opera, ballet or a play in the National Theater, State Opera, the Estates Theater, or the Municipal House, the dress code is formal. You will see a lot of suits, formal dresses and high heels around.
- Other theaters do not have such a strict dress code, but going business casual is a safe option.
- Some theaters with more modern repertoire (La Fabrika, Jatka78, Venuše ve Švehlovce, Divadlo Kolowrat,…) do not require formal dress code at all.
Arriving
- Arrive a little bit ahead of time, so that you can check your coat and find your seat. Most theaters will not let you into the audience after the start of the performance and you will have to wait for the intermission.
- Have your ticket at hand when you arrive to the theater – it is usually enough to have it in your phone.
- Bring cash for coat check and refreshments.
- It is a custom to leave your coat in the coat check. Coat checks are usually free or charge a small amount, such as 5-20 CZK. It is frowned upon to bring your coat with you to your seat, as it takes up a lot of space and is an imposition on your neighbors.
- Try not to bring backpacks and big bags to the theater – if you really need to, leave them in the coat check, never bring them with you to your seat.
- Do not forget to switch your phone on silent or into airplane mode before the show starts.
- If your seat is in the middle of the row, and people have to let you through, always walk sideways, facing the people letting you through and say thank you. It is considered extremely rude if you turn the other way and not acknowledge that they had to stand up for you.
During the performance
- Make sure you know what genre you are watching and when it is appropriate to clap. E.g. you are not supposed to clap in between the movements of a symphony, but wait until the very end. Czechs are quite sensitive to this.
- Loud whistling is not appropriate, if you want to show extra appreciation for the performers, give them a standing ovation.
- It is not polite to leave the audience in the middle of the show, so even if you need to go to the bathroom, try to wait until the break.
- It goes without saying that chatting with your neighbors during the performance is a big faux pas.
- In the majority of theaters, it is not allowed to take any pictures or videos during the performance.
- It is really frowned upon if you use your phone during the performance, as the glow of the screen is distracting your neighbors.