Black Light Theatre Prague 2026: Theatres, Prices and Tickets

Four Prague stages with their own websites and box offices play black light theatre in November and December 2026: Image (Národní 25), Srnec (Národní 20), WOW Show (Na Příkopě 31) and HILT (Řetězová 7). Shows have no dialogue, run 65–90 minutes and start between 6 and 8:30 pm. Adult box office tickets cost CZK 490–650 (about €20–27, $22–30 or £17–22), child tickets CZK 390–500. Ta Fantastika on Karlova could not be confirmed, Divadlo Metro now stages Czech comedies, and Laterna magika's New Stage is closed for renovation. Around Prague checked programmes, prices and box offices on the theatres' official websites on 12 November 2026.

For opera, ballet and marionettes see Prague's Theatres: 8 Stages. This guide covers black light theatre only.

What is black light theatre?

Under UV light, performers in black "disappear", so masks, puppets and glowing objects seem to float. Music, mime and dance tell the story, so no language is needed. The National Theatre calls Jiří Srnec the founder of Czech black theatre; his company dates from 1961.

Black light theatres in Prague compared

Rates: Czech National Bank, 11 November 2026 (€1 = CZK 24.38, $1 = CZK 21.91, £1 = CZK 29.15); you pay in crowns. WOW Show plays on 15, 18, 22, 25, 27 and 29 November, HILT on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Seats at Image, Srnec and WOW are unnumbered, so arrive early.

Image, Srnec, WOW and HILT: how they differ

Image: four evening shows and children's matinees

Founded in 1989, Image mixes black theatre with dance and mime. Abrakadabra runs 75 minutes, Afrikania 80–90, the others 80. The city calendar on prague.eu lists all four until the end of December.

• Adults 15+ CZK 590, children 3–14 CZK 450, students with ISIC CZK 500, family ticket (2 adults, 2 children) CZK 1,900.
• From 1 January 2027: CZK 660, 500, 560 and 2,100.
• Children's shows, CZK 280: Kaleidoskop (4+, 75 minutes with an interval) on 5 December and O zlaté rybce (The Golden Fish, 70 minutes with an interval) on 21 November and 13 December, at 11 am. Language not stated.
• Box office from 4 pm on show days, doors 30 minutes before the start.

Srnec: the oldest company

Black Light Theatre Srnec calls itself the world's first black light theatre. Antología, eight short scenes, plays in the 117-seat hall of the Reduta Jazz Club: about 90 minutes with an interval, recommended from about age 3. Shows start at 6 or 8 pm, some days twice.

• Adults CZK 650, students and seniors 65+ CZK 550, children 3–10 CZK 450, under 3 free on a parent's lap.
• Box office on site: Mon 5–9:30 pm, Tue 3–7:30 pm, Wed–Sat 5–9:30 pm, Sun 3–7:30 pm.

WOW Show: a family show with effects

The Broadway Theatre is in the arcade between Na Příkopě 31 and Celetná 38. The show adds pyrotechnics, is billed as fun for all ages, and has booster seats for small children. The site lists 1 and 4 December so far; the city calendar shows performances until 31 December.

• Adults CZK 650, students CZK 600, children 3–10 CZK 500.
• Box office daily from noon until the show starts.

HILT: 50 seats in a 15th-century cellar

The smallest stage is a vaulted Old Town cellar next to Café Montmartre. Images of Love mixes black light scenes with film projection and pop hits, about 70 minutes without an interval.

• Adults 19–59 CZK 490; children and students 6–18 and seniors 60+ CZK 390.
• Box office 30 minutes before the show; online sales only through SMSticket.

Ta Fantastika, Metro and Laterna magika: where things stand

• Ta Fantastika (Karlova 8). On 12 November 2026 its official website would not load (certificate error, empty pages), and the city's black theatre calendar lists no shows there for October to December. We could not confirm it is running: do not buy its tickets from resellers until the theatre publishes a programme.
• Divadlo Metro (Národní 25). Black theatre played here from 2002; since a 2024 relaunch Metro stages comedies in Czech. Not to be confused with Image at the same address.
• Laterna magika. Alfréd Radok and Josef Svoboda created it for Expo 58 in Brussels: live performance with film projection, not black light theatre in the strict sense. The National Theatre's New Stage is being renovated from March 2026 for about two years; shows have moved to the Estates Theatre (Stavovské divadlo), La Fabrika and Palác Akropolis.

At the Estates Theatre this year: In Our Hands (acrobatics and parkour, 12+) on 14 November and 26 December, Poe (14+, Czech with English surtitles) on 6 December, and Paper Story (4+, about an hour) on 22 and 25 December. Prices show when you pick seats on the National Theatre website.

Black light theatre with kids

Evening shows end after 9 pm, so with small children Srnec at 6 pm, Image's matinees or Paper Story work better.

Worked example for 2 adults and 2 children aged 6–10 at box office prices:

• HILT: 490 × 2 + 390 × 2 = CZK 1,760.
• Image: family ticket CZK 1,900.
• Srnec: 650 × 2 + 450 × 2 = CZK 2,200.
• WOW Show: 650 × 2 + 500 × 2 = CZK 2,300.

Where to buy tickets: official box offices and websites

All prices here are box office prices. If a site asks noticeably more, or only in euros, you are probably not buying from the theatre.

How to avoid resellers and street sellers

• Check the domain. Many ticket sites have "black light theatre" in their name. The theatres sell on imagetheatre.cz, srnectheatre.com, wow-show.com, hilt-theatre.cz and narodni-divadlo.cz or the systems they link to.
• Resellers set their own rules. Srnec says GetYourGuide, Tiqets, Tickadoo, Viator and Booking.com resell its show with their own fee and cancellation terms. If something goes wrong, you deal with the reseller first; tickets bought from the theatre are changed or refunded by the theatre.
• Do the maths. CZK 650 is €26.66 or $29.67 at the 11 November 2026 rate. Anything well above that goes to the middleman.
• Do not buy on the street. Prague's market regulation (tržní řád) bans selling from the hand. The ticket exception is narrow: in front of the venue, on the day, no earlier than 4 hours before the show. A seller on Old Town Square, far from any theatre, is not covered.
• Check the ticket. Srnec (Národní 20) and Image (Národní 25) are a few doors apart.

More tourist traps are covered in Is Prague Safe?.

Black light theatre in Prague: frequently asked questions (FAQ)

What is the best black light theatre in Prague?

For the classic, Srnec, the oldest company; for choice, Image with four shows; for families, WOW Show; for a 50-seat room, HILT.

How much are black light theatre tickets in Prague?

At the official box offices adults pay CZK 490–650 (about €20–27), children CZK 390–500. Image raises its prices on 1 January 2027.

Do I need to understand Czech or English?

No. Image, Srnec, WOW and HILT perform without words. Only Laterna magika's Poe is in Czech, with English surtitles.

Is black light theatre suitable for children?

Srnec recommends it from about age 3, WOW says all ages, and child prices start at 3 at Image and 6 at HILT.

Should I book in advance?

Yes: Srnec has 117 seats and popular dates sell out, HILT has 50, and WOW and HILT do not play nightly.

Sources: Image: programme and prices, Image: shows, Image on prague.eu, Kaleidoskop, O zlaté rybce, Srnec: FAQ and prices, Srnec: about, WOW Show: prices, WOW Show: contact, HILT: show, HILT: contact, HILT dates on SMSticket, prague.eu black theatre calendar, Divadlo Metro, Laterna magika, New Stage, National Theatre programme, November and December, National Theatre box offices, Prague market regulation, Czech National Bank rates. Checked on 12 November 2026; confirm the date and price on the theatre's website before you buy.

See also: Prague's Theatres, Prague Walking Tours, What to Book in Advance in Prague, Is Prague Safe?, Where to Go with Kids in Prague, Advent in Prague 2026.

Photo: black light theatre scene by HILT in Prague (Phantom, 2017). Black light theatre Prague, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

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