-
Title
-
Summary / Polska Sztuka Ludowa - Konteksty 1991 t.45 z.3-4
-
Description
-
Polska Sztuka Ludowa - Konteksty 1991 t.45 z.3-4, s.150-152
-
Date
-
1991
-
Format
-
application/pdf
-
Identifier
-
oai:cyfrowaetnografia.pl:2197
-
Language
-
pol.
-
Publisher
-
Polski Instytut Sztuki
-
Relation
-
oai:cyfrowaetnografia.pl:publication:2366
-
Text
-
S U M M A R Y OF
ARTICLES
This issue of „ P O L I S H F O L K A R T . C O N T E X T S " is entirely devoted to
the contemporary theatre w h i c h in various w a y s tries to transcend beyond
the traditional theatre by reaching out to its roots. T h i s is the reason w h y it
so frequently refers to intercultural experiences, c u s t o m s , rituals and fuller
corporeal experience, w e l l - k n o w n to different cultures and long-forgotten
in Europe. T h e majority of the texts pertain to Polish theatrical experiences
but w e present also an interview with Peter Brook and articles by Eugenio
Barba. Our volume contains a d i s c u s s i o n on para-ritual phenomena w h i c h
transgress even an extensive comprehension of the theatre - L u d w i k
S t o m m a examines the ritual meaning of sport using the example of
football, and J o a n n a H u b n e r - W o j c i e c h o w s k a inquires into the m a g i c mythical dimension of court ceremonies.
of both creeds. T h o s e are also the intentions of the proto-theatre w h i c h
tries to arrive at the very s o u r c e s of culture.
T h e author embarks upon an attempt to create a model of the avantgarde
theatre. He indicates a number of symmetrical opposites: on the one hand,
cultural utopia (Brook - the theatrical version, Grotowski - the ritual
version) and, on the other hand, the sociological utopia (Barba - the
community version and J . and J . Beck - the anarchistic version); on the
one hand, the shifting of the borderline of the theatre (Brook - the
morphology of the spectacle, Barba - the social context of the theatre) and,
on the other hand, the crossing of the boundaries of the theatre (Grotowski
- for the sake of religion, and J . and J . Beck - for the sake of revolution).
T h e first two texts - fragments of a chapter on drama from „Sacred and
Profane Beauty. T h e Holy in Art" by Gerardus van der L e e u w , and excerpts
from Mircea Eliade's „Diary" - intend to bring the reader closer to the sacral
sources of the theatre.
ON T H E A T R E
T h e d i s c u s s i o n w a s attended by: W o j c i e c h D u d z i k ,
Włodzi
m i e r z P a w l u c z u k , J e r z y P r o k o p i u k and K r z y s z t o f R e n i k .
Fragments of the discussion w h i c h w a s held in the editorial office of
„Polska Sztuka L u d o w a " in J u l y 1 9 9 0 . From the broad d i s c u s s i o n w e
extracted only threads concerning evolution of the theatre and a w a y
leading from the mystery play to n o w a d a y s theatre searchings.
T h e quest c o n d u c t e d by the contemporary theatre and para-theatre in
Poland and abroad aims at the disclosure of m a n ' s spirituality, his
..paradigm of the imagination". T h e first group in Poland w h i c h sought an
ethical, profoundly humanistic dimension of the theatre w a s the Reduta,
established by J u l i u s z Osterwa. The theatre of J e r z y Grotowski referred to
the Reduta traditions and itself became a starting point for Gardzienice. T h e
essential novelty of the Gardzienice Theatre w a s the creation of an ethos of
..excursions" to the countryside, a search for inspiration in authentic
contact with the rural population, their rituals, religiosity and spiritual
culture.
T h e pursuit of s o u r c e s for inspiration in the traditional culture of the
Russian Orthodox village is a n a l o g u o u s to the Oriental quests c o n d u c t e d
by Barba or Brook. The attempt to transpose the authentic, sacral kathakala
theatre, based on the deep religiosity of the participants of the spectacle
(both the audience and the players) onto European ground demonstrated
that it is impossible to establish an authentic community c o m p o s e d of the
members of the spectacle outside the range of a given culture. Even an
illuscry image of a culture other than one's o w n (India, the Russian
Orthodox village in Poland) - the outcome of an intense, short-lived
contact - c a n become a valuable source of inspiration for the artist,
enabling him to create totally n e w forms of expression.
Participants of the discussion propose a threephased development of the
theatre (1) the mystery theatre, (2) the plebeian-bourgeois theatre, and (3)
possible to realize the soteric theatre, based on ansambles of people
inspired by teachers of spiritual life ( J . Prokopiuk): the other division , ( l )
the theatre c o n e c t e d with literature, (2) the theatre released from literature,
and (3) the theatre w h i c h pass from pure esthetic problems to ethic and
culture - w a s proposed by W. Dudzik.
L a u r a B o h a n n a n , S H A K E S P E A R E IN T H E B U S H
T h e author describes her experiences c o n n e c t e d with an attempted
presentation of Shakespeare's Hamlet to Tiv tribesmen (Africa) (trans
lation).
T H E T H E A T R E C O N T A M I N A T E D B Y E T H N O L O G Y by L e s z e k K o l a n k i e w i c z i s a n attempt to locate the theatrical avantgarde against the
background of contemporary culture (counter-culture), s c i e n c e and
philosophy. T h e origins of a theatre ..tainted" with ethnology date back to
the 1 9 7 0 s . T h i s contamination, the author maintains, d o e s not affect the
theatre in its entirety, but only its avantgarde. T h e axis of s u c h performan
c e s is a collision of cultures, and the ethnographer often appears as one of
the main dramatis personae.
T h e author indicates the c o m m o n vision of man w h i c h took s h a p e in
humanistic p s y c h o l o g y and the para-theatre. Both domains critically
a s s e s s the positivistically-oriented s c i e n c e w h i c h reduces and impoveris
hes experience; both seek fuller experience for the individual, by severing
all ties with the Descartesian dualism of the body and mind.
By recalling the Nietzschean division of the theatre into dionysian and
apollonian, the author points out that o n e c a n distinguish four p h a s e s in
the history of the theatre: the prototheatre ( d i o n y s i a n ) , the Greek theatre
(dionysian and a p o l o n i a n ) , the degraded theatre (apolonian) and W a g
ner's musical theatre (dionysian and apollonian). T h i s division, according
to the author, lacks the last, fifth part - the proto-theatre ( d i o n y s i a n ) ,
w h i c h c o u l d be encountered in the search c o n d u c t e d by Antonin Artaud
w h o after his voyage to Mexico (the Tarahumara Indians) in 1 9 3 6 wrote
that in this c a s e w e are dealing not with a ..theatre on a stage" but a kind of
religious theatre, a n e w type of ritual. T h e author regards J . Grotowski, P.
Brook and E. Barba as the main representatives of the proto-theatre.
O n e of the last undertakings by Grotowski („The Objective Drama") w a s
compared to B a c h ' s M a s s in H minor. C . L e v i - S t r a u s s noted that the
disappearance of mythical thought in seventeenthcentruy Europe w a s
a c o o m p a n i e d by the emergence of great musical forms, and that it w a s
precisely m u s i c w h i c h took over the structure of mythical reflection. Critics
often stress that the M a s s in H minor goes beyond the division between
Protestantism and Catholicism, and reaches the c o m m o n pre-foundations
150
M i c h a e l G i b s o n , BROOK'S AFRICA
In this interview, Peter Brook d i s c u s s e s his journey to Africa ( 1 9 7 2 ) ,
together with a group of actors c o n n e c t e d with the International Centre of
Theatrical Studies, headed by him. He describes i.a. an encounter with the
African audience, w h i c h , in his opinion, is the best in the world, the need to
construe e a c h spectacle a n e w , and the experience of reaching a level upon
w h i c h it is possible to speak about a community of mankind (translation).
T H E A C T O R IN T H E T H E A T R E O F I M A G I N A T I O N . A N I N T E R V I E W
WITH A N D R Z E J S E W E R Y N A B O U T PETER BROOK'S „MAHABHARA
TA"
Andrzej S e w e r y n , a k n o w n P o l i s h - F r e n c h actor, recalls his experiences
dating from the staging of Mahabharata.
He mentions significant q u e s
tions c o n n e c t e d with Brook's work style and personality, and his o w n n e w
experiences as an actor. O n e of the most essential elements of the work
performed by an actor is constant development of the imagination - w i c h
has become part of Brook's theatre thanks to constant and all-sided
improvisations. S e w e r y n also a c c e n t s the fact that it w a s Brook w h o
disclosed to him the importance of coordinating three elements: emotion,
intellect and body.
T h e interview is supplemented by the ekcepts de journal of travail and
text K a z i m i e r z В r a u n s T H E H O L Y W R I T O F M A H A B H A R A T A in
w h i c h the author describes the spectacle itself, and the w a y in w i c h it w a s
received in America.
Z b i g n i e w T a r a n i e n k o , THE . U N D O I N G " O F THE W O R L D . AN
INTERVIEW WITH WŁODZIMIERZ STANIEWSKI
Gardzienice is a village in the environs of Lublin; it is also the site of the
Centre of Theatrical Studies, led by S t a n i e w s k i , and k n o w n simply as
„Gardzienice". A c c o r d i n g to the founder of the Centre, there were many
reasons for this particular location: it is, in his opinion, the borderline
between Asia and Europe (an important factor considering that e x c h a n g e
rejuvenates culture), where one can discover landscapes straight from
paintings by M a l c z e w s k i . T h e world should be perceived as it f l o w s
thorugh us, leaving behind a legacy of experiences. For S t a n i e w s k i , the
most essential is the c o n c e p t of pre-reflection - that first "intellectual
gesture" w h i c h points to the right path. He is c o n c e r n e d with the
pre-reflection of a landscape, people and situations, as well as the creation
of s u c h external conditions w h i c h w o u l d enable the ecology of the spirit to
liberate the creative abilities of man. Opposition to the idea of development
for the s a k e of intensifying experience is c o n n e c t e d with the rejection of
the horizontal model of culutre, dominant in Europe from the R e n a i s s a n c e
on. H e n c e the spectacles often exploit vertical movement - descent and
ascent. Following the example of M. Bachtin, S t a n i e w s k i rejects also the
rationalization of meaning for the sake of a philosophical-artistic absorp
tion of meanings, w h i c h he calls " o d c z y n i a n i e " ( " u n d o i n g " ) . He counterposes eavesdropping and peering, s o popular in present-day culture, with
a search for o n e ' s o w n identity and sources. Staniewski regards music as an
extremely important factor for his work; he talks about the musical aspects
of Nature and man - „if w e do not deaden that inner music then w e shall
gain n e w s e n s e s " . T h e word - prominent in theatrical work - is also the
w o r d of the Spirit of M u s i c . Finally, Staniewski recounts his trip to Mexico
(Artaud) w h i c h proved to be of great merit for his theatre.
C z e s ł a w R o b o t y c k i , D a r i u s z C z a j a , GARDZIENICE, SATUR
D A Y - S U N D A Y 2 7 / 2 8 A P R I L 1991
T w o reflections about a meeting with the Gardzienice Theatre upon the
o c c a s i o n of Carmina Burana, its most recent spectacle.
In W O R К W I T H S T A N I E W S K I M a r i u s z G o ł a j recalls his experiences
as an actor performing in the Gardzienice Theatre.
J a d w i g a R o d o w i c z , NOT QUOTATION BUT INSPIRATION
T h e author writes about the work c o n d u c t e d by the Gardzienice Centre
of Theatrical Studies, and indicates two possible w a y s of utilizing foreign
culture: quotation and inspiration. Although it is possible to find in the
undertakings of the Centre direct references - quotations - from texts
registered on location, inspiration, in its etymological meaning as creative
fervour, appears to be more important. By w a y of example, the author cites
the archaic Lappish form of s o n g - the /о/к - with w h i c h s h e became
acquainted during her visit to Finland. T h e jojk (personal s o n g ) is never
about something but a l w a y s constitutes something or s o m e o n e . It w a s
precisely this experience that served as an inspiration for the cast of the
Gardzienice Theatre in their creation of the "rhythm-breath". The author
draws attention to the fact that the instruments applied by critics are not
adopted to n e w theatrical forms; for example, they do not pay due attention
to the unity of the drama and musical composition w h i c h , by w a y of
contrast, were easily noticed by critics in Korea where the theatre
performed
Awwakuma.
M i c h a ł K l i n g e r discusses the experiences gained from a visit, with the
Gardzienice Theatre, to the St. Onufry monastery upon that saint's
name-day ( 2 4 / 2 5 J u n e ) .
K r z y s z t o f C z y ż e w s k i , A J O U R N E Y TO T H E EAST
T h e author of the letter w a s a member of the Gardzienice Theatre from
1 9 7 8 to 1 9 8 3 . The text is a personal reflection on work in this unique
theatre w h i c h reaches to the very s o u r c e s and embarks upon n e w
experiments. T h e author remains distant from the traditinal conception of
an actor; he also describes his path to Gardzienice w h i c h led through
poetry and recital c o n c e i v e d as an attempt to concentrate on the s o u n d of
the poetic word (an experience w h i c h subsequently w a s not fully exploited
in G a r d z i e n i c e ) . Both his arrival and later his departure were dictated by
a constant search and motion. "During an excursion. Evening Gatherings
or reconnaisances... one c o u l d hear a s o u n d resembling a bell ringing from
a long-deserted temple. Did w e seek a path out of the land of disinheritan
ce? I recall that trail b e c a u s e it inspires and distresses me most of all".
" W Ę G A J T Y " is a Theatrical Centre named after a village near Olsztyn in
w h i c h the seat of the theatre is located. In U N D E R T A K I N G and T H E
E V O L U T I O N O F T H E V I L L A G E T H E A T R E the leader of the ensemble
W a c ł a w S o b a s z e k speaks about the nature of the work of the Centre,
w h i c h , in its search for sources, refers to the creativity of Stanisław
V i n c e n z , a celebrated Polish essayist w h o after the w a r resided in
Switzerland. Following the trail of Vincenz, the theatre carried out i.a.
a research trip to the region of the Hucuł mountaineers. T h e theatre also
regards the Beskidy and B i e s z c z a d y Mountains as well as the Olsztyn
voivodship as a terrain of its exploration. W. S o b a s z e k presents his theory
of the art of acting, and considers the cultural work intended for the
environment as important for the Centre. T h e texts are supplemented by
J a c e k D o b r o w o l s k i ' s reflection from a meeting with the Węgajty
cast.
Z b i g n i e w O s i ń s k i , MIECZYSŁAW LIMANOWSKI TODAY
A European k n o w n geologist, Mieczysław L i m a n o w s k i ( 1 8 7 6 - 1 9 4 8 )
together with J u l i u s z Osterwa, one of the most eminent Polish actors and
stage directors, w a s a founder of the „ R e d u t a " w h i c h w a s the first Polish
..theatre laboratory" and one of the most significant teams in the history of
Polish theatre at the same time. In his work he a l w a y s combined these t w o
spheres of creativity: deeply interrelated, they formed his o w n original
outlooks to be manifested in L i m a n o w s k i ' s artistic activity as a stage
director and animator of the artistic endeavours of the „ R e d u t a " and its
pupils. The „ R e d u t a " ( 1 9 1 9 - 3 9 ) has constituted an aesthetical tradition
for J e r z y Grotowski w h o s e Laboratory Theatre ( 1 9 5 9 - 8 4 ) took over its
emblem.
In his article Zbigniew Osiński discusses L i m a n o w s k i ' s ideas of theatre,
their formation and impact on the „ R e d u t a " as well as on the contemporary
and the present-day artists s u c h as Grotowski and his former collaborator
Włodzimierz Staniewski w h o runs the „Gardzienice" Centre of Theatrical
W o r k s h o p s since 1 9 7 7 . Mieczysław L i m a n o w s k i ' s precursory role in
contemporary theatrical and cultural pursuits is also stressed.
The article is an introduction to the selection of his writings on theatre
and drama By/ kiedyś teatr Dionizosa
( O n c e upon a time there w a s
D i o n y s i u s Theatre) presented to the Literary Publishing H o u s e in 1 9 8 7 .
Mieczysław
L i m a n o w s k i , THE YEAR OF POLAND AND THE
COLLECTIVE SOUL
The text w a s published in M o s c o w in 1 9 1 6 , where during World War
L i m a n o w s k i w a s in exile, maintaining c l o s e contacts with the actors of the
M o s c o w Artistic Theatre run by K. S . Stanisławski as well as with eminent
representatives of the Russian intellectual elite. In his text he presents the
idea of theatre - mystery, a peculiar laboratory and a „mirror of the colective
s o u l " , derived from the earliest tradition („from the bottom of nation, its
blood and spirit") and s y n c h r o n o u s with the rhythms of the w h o l e nature
and universe at the s a m e time. Similarly to the classical theatre of ancient
Greece, s u c h theatre is the „most complete form of collective creativity".
W h e n establishing the foundations of the present „Gardzienice" Centre
of Theatrical W o r k s h o p s , L i m a n o w s k i ' s text ranked among the most
important ones for Włodzimierz S t a n i e w s k i .
S e w e r y n A. W i s ł o c k i , JĘDRZEJ C I E R N I A K A N D HIS " F O L K T H E A TRE"
During the partition era (up to World War II), the folk theatre w a s
dominated by t w o currents: one sought inspiration in the national (high)
theatre and regarded one of its functions to be the cultivation of Polishness,
while the other w a s closer to the level of the country fair, and had a rather
unsophisticated repertoire. T h i s vision of the folk theatre w a s o p p o s e d
during the interwar period by Jędrzej Cierniak, village-born b u t a graduate
of the Jagiellonian University; here, he established contacts with the
" e l e u s i s " ethical association w h o s e purpose w a s the moral-spiritual
rebirth of the Polish nation - its very name referred to the Greek t o w n s h i p
k n o w n for its mystery plays w h i c h w e r e the s o u r c e for the association's
mysticism and initiation rites. Cierniak claimed that folk rituals constitute
a specific form of the theatre. Words, gestures, customary behavoiur,
music, d a n c e etc., perfected for centuries, contain valuable elements of
original and authentic beauty. There w a s no need to train for s u c h a theatre
since it simply sufficed to remain oneself. Cierniak established the Institute
of Folk Theatres. His coitect premises did not prevent him from stylization
and the inculsion of mystic c o m p o n e n t s originating in the " E l e u s i s "
organization. After World War II his entire achievements were, for political
reasons, destroyed.
M a r i a F i d e r k i e w i c z , JAN DORMAN'S „HERODS"
J a n Dorman ( 1 9 1 2 - 1 9 8 6 ) devoted his w h o l e life to the theatre and w a s
in particular fascinated with the folk theatre. From 1 9 6 5 to 1 9 7 3 he
organized reviews of Christmas carols and N e w Year s o n g s - the s o - c a l l e d
Herods - in the Theatre of Miners' Children in Będzin. At that time, it w a s
extremely difficult to discover the whereabouts of the carol singers since
public performances were officially banned after World War II. For
a number of years, Dorman w a s compelled to overcome various obstacles.
Political authorities, w h o a l w a y s remained hostile towards rituals of this
kind, definitely prohibited the organization of the reviews in 1 9 7 3 . Dorman
w a s aware of the fact that the rituals, s h o w n on stage, lost m u c h of their
attractiveness, but he a s s u m e d that this w a s the only w a y to display them,
and, upon many o c c a s i o n s , to save them from oblivion. He w a s also
engaged in theatrical activity for children, and wrote his o w n scenarious. In
this c a s e too, o w i n g to the religious motives of the spectacles, he
encountered resistance on the part of the authorities.
E u g e n i o B a r b a , THE THIRD B A N K O F T H E RIVER
History is sometimes compared to a flowing river w h i c h seizes everyt
hing w h i c h it encounters on its way. Fleeing it, people seek a safe haven by
settling on both banks, but there also they are often reached by the flood
waters. Barba cites a Brazilian tale about an old man w h o takes his boat
into the very centre of the river, and then, obstinately, makes his w a y
against the current until his last days. U p o n his death, he is replaced by his
s o n . T h i s story had become for Barba a true illumination, and made him
aware of a certain intuition: he understood that in his capacity as a person
of the theatre he should delve deeper, into that w h i c h is invisible and
c o n c e a l e d , and towards the underground history from w h i c h there is no
escape. The idea of the ..third bank" w a s important for the spectacle
„ B a n k " performed by Leszek Mądzik (translation).
B o ż e n a D u d k o , T H I S S H O E P I N C H E S , OR T H E T H E A T R E O F T H E
EIGHTH DAY
The author of this essay presents the creative path of one of the most
interesting and valuable p h e n o m e n a in the movement of Polish alternative
theatres - the Theatre of the Eighth Day. S h e examines the artistic s e a r c h
carried out from 1 9 7 0 to 1991 by the cast led by L e c h Raczak, beginning
w i t h the first significant spectacles s u c h as Introduction
to... or In a Single
Breath up to the most recent performance w h o s e premiere took place in
J a n u a r y 1991 w h e n the theatre returned to Poland, terminating its
emigration. No Man's Band\s the outcome of the experiences of the actors
from their emigre period, and constitutes an essential summary of the
heretofore achievements of the theatre.
A prominent place in the article is assigned to reflections on the
specificity of the Theatre of the Eights Day, w h i c h comprises its political
involvement (in a broad meaning of the w o r d ) , a creative development of
the Grotowski method and the manner in w h i c h the spectacles are
prepared (primarly improvisations and group creation).
W o j c i e c h K r u k o w s k i , T H E T H E A T R E IN T H E T H E A T R E O F L I F E .
THE A C A D E M Y OF MOTION
The author describes select undertakings of the A c a d e m y of Motion
w h i c h from 1 9 7 4 gave alltold about 2 0 0 spectacles, street actions and
happenings. The c o m m o n features of the work c o n d u c t e d by the A c a d e m y
include motion, s p a c e and social messages. They are c o n n e c t e d with the
conviction that artistic radicalism and social goals do not have to exclude
e a c h other. Artistic undertakings transposed onto the city streets enrich
their everyday appearance and renew their meaning. Elements of daily life
c o n v e y e d in an unaltered form into the „ h o l y " s p a c e of art (the stage, the
gallery), e n h a n c e its anthropological vision, without impairing the aest
hetic one. What is needed, therefore, is an a w a r e n e s s of the pre-artistic
values of gesture, s p a c e , time and s o u n d , a s well a s their role in
communication. This process involves the perception of the merit of the
mutual intermingling of Art and Life, not in a repetition of everyday life but
in the demonstration of its meanings, of w h i c h w e are usually unaware
- s t r u c t u r e s , rhythm and tension. T h e latter are c o m p o n e n t s of a model of
activity that fills the s p a c e of joint experiences, play and communication.
151
R o m a n W o ź n i a k , IN T H E D O M A I N O F T H E S A C R U M
T h e religious s a c r u m in art is a separate domain, u n c o n n e c t e d with that
of culture. Due to its very nature, art creates u n c o m m o n beings, and often
approaches the Mystery, thus attaining the sphere of the sacrum. On the
other hand, works of art w h i c h refer to sacral contents often do not
transcend beyond the secular dimension.
In his sculptures and theatrical work, R o m a n Woźniak willingly refers to
the Old and N e w Testament w h i c h , thanks to its universal nature, offers the
possibility of a play of symbols, a cumulation of meanings, and the
anticipation of events, as in the medieval mystery plays.
The accomplishments of Roman Woźniak are characterized by the
modesty and simplicity of the employed means of expression, and by
a striving towards the disclosure of the mystery of everyday life. He makes
the props and decorations himself, adapting the means of expression to the
c h a n g i n g conditions of the environment in w h i c h he stages the spectacle.
Woźniak also appears as an actor, creating a specific formula of acting,
closer to animation but nonetheless transcending it by the o p e n n e s s of his
presence on stage. A n important source of inspiration is music, w h i c h often
constitutes the basic element of the staging (The Passion according to St.
Matthew
in the N o w y Theatre in W a r s a w ) .
H a n n a K i r c h n e r a n d L u d m i ł a M u r a w s k a , d i s c u s s the p h e n o m e
non of the Separate Theatre, established in 1 9 5 4 by Miron Białoszewski,
the poet, and L u d w i k Hering. T h o s e two friends, w h o s e acquaintanceship
dates back to the war, shared an interest in the culture of the social margin
and the street. T h e texts for the spectacles were written by Białoszewski
and the form w a s designed by Hering. T h e actors were Miron Białoszewski
and Ludmiła M u r a w s k a .
M a g d a l e n a Smęder, BETHLEHEM, GOLGOTHA, THE BASTILLE
AND THE POOR ROOM... THE LAST S P E C T A C L E O F T A D E U S Z
KANTOR
Following the spectacle entitled / Shall Nevert Return Here, w h i c h w a s
a foretaste of the end of theatrical undertakings by T a d e u s z Kantor - the
founder of Cricot 2, the theatre of death, and one of the greatest
individualities of the Polish theatre - two other spectacles were staged:
Today is My Birthday and the almost u n k n o w n Silent Night. T h e s e c o n d
performance w a s s h o w n in J u l y 1 9 9 0 in Avignon where Kantor w a s
invited by the Experimental A c a d e m y to give a series of lectures. The
lectures c h a n g e d into rehearsals and those, in turn, into a spectacle. The
description of this particular performance enabled the author to recall the
main three themes of Kantor's stagings: life, death and memory. „lt w a s my
ambition to tell the story of mankind, the w a y in w h i c h people w h o have
already died, begin to live a n e w , and the manner in w h i c h everything
repeats itself". T a d e u s z Kantor died on 8 December 1 9 9 0 .
Z b i g n i e w T a r a n i e n k o , F R O M THE BEGINNING TO „THE C O A S T " .
AN INTERVIEW WITH LESZEK MĄDZIK
T h e path towards theatrical direction began for M ą d z i k from stage
design (experiences gained while planning settings for Easter S e p u l c h r e s ) .
M ą d z i k w i s h e s to speak by resorting to s p a c e and his theatre c o u l d be
described as that of a painter. He believes that the concrete shortens the
time of experience, and, in order to construe dramaturgy, to attain that
w h i c h remains intangible, he tries to eject all that w h i c h is concrete from his
spectacles. Originally, Mądzik referred exclusively to the plastic media, but
then he noticed that the word can also transmit similar symbolic contents.
M ą d z i k recalls his quests and creative evolution, including the use, or
a b s e n c e , of anecdotes and light - an evolution from external light towards
the inner lights of objects on stage. He is interested in studying the relation
between the s a c r u m , the human striving towards transcendence and
a broadly understood materiality. In his spectacles, he frequently refers to
the Universe of Nature; he also tries to reach the level of emotion
- a spectacle is s u c c e s s f u l w h e n the entire audience is visibly moved.
M ą d z i k intends to achieve a similar inner vibration in the spectator as did
Grotowski, but in order to do s o he exploits objects, light and s p a c e , and
not the actor. T h i s undertaking calls for steering the audience, a feat that
cannot be performed without sharing their emotions.
M ą d z i k has also organized almost twenty one-time spectacles (mainly
abroad) w h i c h end s o - c a l l e d trial periods, and w h i c h are to exploit various
situations plastically, and to govern the feelings of their participants.
T h e interview is supplemented by a description of two spectacles: The
Herbarium and The Bank.
Katarzyna W a l e w s k a , PSYCHODRAMA
P s y c h o d r a m a - a s p o n t a n e o u s , improvised emotional event in a situation
of activity and not of dialogue - has become part of the techniques of
dynamically-oriented psychotherapy systems. The technique w h i c h ap
152
pears to be the most profound is analytical psychodrama during w h i c h the
patient recreates loose associations and dreams together with his analyst.
Medical psychodrama differs from the one organised on stage primarily
as regards its intention: in medicine it serves the examination of the p s y c h e
of the suffering patient, the localization of the source of fears, types of
conflict and problems w h i c h are to be treated as well as development
potential and inner relations. It is c o n c e r n e d with the world of the inner
theatre - its actors, the drama w h i c h is being currently performed and that
w h i c h w a s acted out in the past. In the course of activity, w h i c h is not
restricted by the c e n s o r s h i p of feair and s h a m e , as is the c a s e with w o r d s ,
emotions, o n c e c o n c e a l e d in the past, become unblocked, thanks to the
presence of other persons taking part in the spectacle; one c a n never
foretell w h a t will take place in a psychodrama.
Psychodrama signifies an encounter w h i c h a l w a y s takes place on two
simultaneous levels- c o n s c i o u s and u n c o u s c i o u s . The task of the analyst
consists of comprehension and an emotional insight into the d y n a m i c s of
c o n s c i o u s and u n c o n s c i o u s experience.
Both in the open theatre and in the process of treatment, this double
encounter constitutes development, and sets into motion creative poten
tials in a situation of activity w h e n on the stage both partners of a given
relation open up in the c o n s c i o u s and u n c o n s c i o u s dimension. T h e
external stage sets into motion the inner theatre of a person in his contact
with others. In the theatre, psychodrama assists predominantly in stimula
ting live emotions, in order to present fascinating creations to the audience.
If, however, psychodrama o c c u r s at a certain stage in the development of
the spectator w h o is inclined towards reflection and an inner integration of
s u c h experiences, then it b e c o m e s an important moment in his personal
progress.
L u d w i k S t o m m a , 1:0, O R P E O P L E L I K E G O D S
Of the many w a y s of explaining the popularity of sport, the author
proposes the ethnological interpretation w h i c h reaches to the mythologi
cal sources of the p h e n o m e n o n . It is obvious that sport is a classification,
a division into „ w e " and „they". T h i s classification, however, is not created
by l a w s w h i c h function on a daily basis. Western sport teams are usually
multi-national, while Polish o n e s , although a foreigner or two can appear,
seem to be m u c h more uniform-but h o w many true W a r s a w residents play
in the „Legia" team? T h e greatest importance is ascribed to the national
colours w h i c h decide w h o is „ours" and w h o is not. Sport is ruled by laws
a n a l o g u o u s to those of a carnival and football is the queen of all sport; it is
here that a radical reversal takes place: hands, used everyday (cf. the
number of idiomatic expressions c o n n e c t e d with them) are replaced by
feet. A football match is a reversal of the Promethean feat. T h e collective
effort of the team creates a situation advantageous for one its members,
w h o , with his legs, must conquer the only ..normal" person - the
goal-keeper, w h o relies on his hands, while the loot (the ball) is left on
alien territory, the „other w o r l d " . T h e player w h o shoots a goal is, therefore,
a anti-Prometheus, w h o returns fire to the gods. W e are dealing here with
a reconstruction of c h a o s (on a social scale, m u c h smaller than the c o s m i c
one) in order to repeat o n c e again the act of creation.
J o a n n a H u b n e r - W o j c i e c h o w s k a , R E F L E C T I O N S ON T H E MA
GIC-MYTHICAL SOURCES OF COURT CEREMONIES
T h e c o n s c i o u s n e s s of the Enlightenment era breakthrough and the
ensuing c o n s e q u e n c e s enable us to treat the Baroque as the last style
permeated with a belief in the power of symbols, w h i c h revealed truths
inaccessible for intellectual cognition. The magic-mythical comprehension
of the world formed the cornestone for the seventeenth-century court
ceremonies, and the universally used apparati testify to the presence of
certain archaic structures. For centuries, machines were regarded as
thaumata, created in order to be admired, and not to govern Nature. Their
value consisted of emanating a mysterious force, either artifically produced
or originating from the dieties, and capable of creating illusion. Mobile
monsters, giants, birds adorned with feathers - all are of the same nature as
mobile statues by Dedalus, the legendary Greek architect.
O n e c a n seek elements of the archetypical structure in the dance w h o s e
platonian definition, as an art of imitating reality by means of gestures and
movements of the body, became a point of departure for modern theory.
Proof w a s offered of the c o s m i c origin of the d a n c e and movements of the
body were compared to „a ball of stars". It w a s believed that through its
intermediary it is possible to establish celestial order on Earth and
reconstrue the harmony w h i c h fills man's soul at the moment of creation, as
testified by court balls.
In the eighteenth century faith in progress, the unlimited possibilities of
technology and the triumph of the intellect resulted in depriving the world
of its magical qualities.
