Vaclav Havel's Temptation

As I was reviewing Temptation by Havel, I noticed that the first translation of Temptation appeared in the Index on Censorship in 1986. I also noticed that one of the stage directions is to have rock music played in scene intervals and during the intermission. The rock music reminded me of Tom Stoppard's Rock 'n' Roll (great play, by the way!), which is about the emergence of the democratic movement that took place between the Prague Spring and the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia. Rock 'n' Roll, like the title suggest, incorporates a lot of rock music.

I love coincidences. Both Tom Stoppard and Vaclav Havel are both from the former Czechoslovakia. More importantly, Vaclav Havel was the last president of Czechoslovakia and the first president of the Czech Republic.

I am enjoying the social/political satire of Soviet Europe in Temptation because I am so intrigued by dissent movements. The Scientific Institute certainly clamps down on what Foustka and dissidents in society have to say. In addition, there's the whole creepy Fistula spy thing going on and the end scene of everyone except Foustka assimilating and dancing in tune to the music.