„Boeing, Boeing” – first comedy to premiere on our new stage in EXPO on 7 November

On 7 November 2025 we invite you to the first presentation of „Boeing, Boeing” – a comedy by Marc Camoletti, directed by Jakub Firewicz. – We live in difficult times with a sense of threat and insecurity. Our „Boeing, Boeing” is a big dose of purifying laughter we need so much. This is the first comedy to premiere on our temporary stage in EXPO-Łódź Hall where we are going to perform for the coming two years during the modernization of our building in Legionów Street – Ewa Pilawska, the Powszechny Theatre director, says. – The presentation will be accompanied by a discussion on comedy and farce in modern theatre – she announces.       

- We have played „Boeing, Boeing” in the 2013 version directed by Giovanny Castallanos. A few years ago we talked with the director about a possibility of rejuvenating the cast to keep the popularity and interest in the spectacle. He was also going to direct another play on our stage… The plans were changed by the pandemic and Giovanny’s sudden death – he was one of the first victims of the pandemic. Giovanny Castellanos was one of the most interesting modern creators of comedy, a bright and cheerful person, a loving husband and father. The return to „Boeing, Boeing” is our symbolic homage to the director who passed away much too early – Ewa Pilawska says.         

- In the Giovanny Castellanos’s production Jakub Firewicz played the leading character; he was also assistant to the director. Now, as a sort of birthday (40) present, the time has come for the director’s debut – it is a natural stage of creative development. Jakub Firewicz loves comedy and is very comfortable with it. We have talked quite a lot recently about modern comedy and I am very interested how he will deal with an excellent text of Master Camoletti – director of Powszechny Theatre adds.        

- After the spectacle Jacek Wakar will talk to its creators about comedy genre, consisting not only of comedies but also of farces, tragicomedies and tragifarces. Wojciech Stefaniak, famous stage designer who worked for many years with Castellanos, will take part in the discussion – Ewa Pilawska announces. – The participants will discuss comedy’s perspectives and future in the theatre. There are such masters as Camoletti, Frayn or Cooney whose comedies have been played all over the world. But certain formula has run out – the vectors have changed, the viewers have different expectations. Comedy and farce should be a barometer of our times, should be universal, but they cannot be detached from a sense of humour which have been changing in a natural way, referring to current topics, persons, conventions, fears, concerns, prejudices. Comedic simplifications, which are necessary, should be arranged according to the pattern of 2025. It seems, however, that masters have no successors. They remain unattainable ideals but their thoughts have not been developed. They are over and so another link in a generation and comedic chain has disappeared. Why is it so? Why don’t we have current farces? Is this genre doomed to extinction? And yet another thing – due to some travelling theatre troups consisting of actors known from TV series, comedy and farce have become synonym of bad taste. The question is – who is to blame for it, who ruined reputation of comedy/farce?  The playwrights? The directors and creators who reduced it to the common denominator of bad taste? – director of Powszechny Theatre and Polish Comedy Centre asks.               

- Comedy is my space. I think it is one of the most important theatre forms. It is an enormous challenge to amuse someone. It is really a hard art to suit people tastes, make them laugh and at the same time keep sense, intelligence, rhythm and credibility. Comedy needs huge precision, sensitivity and courage – Jakub Firewicz, director of the spectacle, says. – While working on „Boeing, Boeing” we play with the comedy convention and I am personally interested in discovering new, interesting ways of work with this genre. Generally I dream of building such narration around comedy as it is in England or in the United States, where humour is witty, ironic, sometimes absurd but always intelligent. I have been inspired by various creators from Monty Python to Saturday Night Live, their comedy is a way of commenting reality. The belief that comedy is something light, undemanding, is still prevalent. But if it is going to be really funny, it must be played very seriously. You have to believe in situations which seem improbable when put on paper – the directors adds.          

„Boeing, Boeing” is a record holder among comedies – the play was entered into the Guinness Book of Records as the most performed French play in the world. Its author, Marc Camoletti, builds a comedy plot with pinpoint accuracy. Maks, the protagist of „Boeing, Boeing”, has three fiancées, each of them is a stewardess and each of them is sure that she is the only woman in his life. Due to timetables, changes of time zones and the help of his invaluable maid Nadia he succeeds in hiding the existence of other women. What happens when Maks is visited by his old, inconspicuos friend? Will he help Maks with „soft landing” or will he fund him a true „air crash”? Is Nadia able to avert the disaster?

 

You can see „Boeing, Boeing” on our stage in EXPO-Łódź Hall (4 Politechniki Ave. in Łódź) on 7, 8, 9, 11, 12 November, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 December and in following months. Tickets are available on our website https://powszechny.pl, in a ticket machine in Galeria Łódzka and in the box office in EXPO-Łódź Hall.      

 

Marc Camoletti
„Boeing, Boeing”
Translated by Bartosz Wierzbięta
Directed by Jakub Firewicz
Music arrangement: Jakub Firewicz
Assistant to the director: Arkadiusz Wójcik
Stage design: Wojciech Stefaniak
Stage movement: Jarosław Staniek
Costumes: Anna Poniewierska
Cast: Aleksandra Bogulewska, Karolina Kleniewska, Diana Krupa, Sebastian Jasnoch, Jakub Kryształ, Arkadiusz Wójcik

 

 AMCOR is the sponsor of the „Boeing, Boeing” first presentation.

 

PURO Hotels is the partner of the „Boeing, Boeing” first presentation

 

We thank the Lublinek Airport  in Łódź for cooperation and for providing space for our photo session.

 

The project „Powszechny Theatre in Łódź – European Centre of Comedy and Theatrical Education”. The project is co-finansed by the European Union within the Regional Programme – European Funds for the Łódź Region 2021 – 2027

The project value:
- total value of the project „Powszechny Theatre in Łódź – European Centre of Comedy and Theatrical Education”: 59,926,055.00 zloties
- the European funds’ value: 26,952,813.40 zloties
- financial contribution of the City of Łódź: 32.876.850,00 zloties.

#FunduszeUE #FunduszeEuropejskie