"Hymn To Love" at the Festival

On Sunday, March 24, during the 25th edition of International Festival of Plays Pleasant and Unpleasant, we presented „Hymn To Love” by Marta Górnicka. The play was a co-production of Polski Theatre in Poznań and the Women Choir. Thank you for being with us that night!

The choir, an integral part of ancient spectacles, in „Hymn To Love” returns in its new, contemporary form which allows a brutal portraying of a modern society. It symbolizes a community which gives up an individual responsibility and takes a collective responsibility instead. Then nobody feels responsible for anything and there are no limits for hatred.

The libretto consists of popular patriotic songs, fragments of political speeches and liturgy. It shows the problems of contemporary Poland and Europe – nationalism, migration crisis,  violence. The choir – women and men, different age and skin colour – shows our hypocrisy and lack of empathy. Sometimes it is like a military march – destructive and devastating.

After the spectacle Łukasz Drewniak talked with its creators. Marta Górnicka said she had been using the choir form for many years because it made it possible to show oblivious  social mechanisms. The director also told about universal power of „Hymn To Love” - the play that had been presented many times abroad. Although it has always been shown in Polish and used typical Polish context, it has had a strong influence on the spectators who can easily notice a diagnose of a difficult situation not only in Poland but generally in Europe.

Polski Theatre in Poznań
Co-produced by: Women Choir Foundation, Polski Theatre in Poznań, Ringlokschuppen Ruhr, Maxim Gorki Theater
„Hymn To Love”
Concept, libretto: Marta Górnicka
Director: Marta Górnicka
Music: Teoniki Rożynek
Choreography: Anna Godowska
Dramaturgy: Agata Adamiecka
Set design: Robert Rumas
Costiumes: Anna Maria Karczmarska
Puppets: Konrad Czarkowski (Kony Puppets)
Lightning director: Artur Sienicki
Music consultant: Joanna Piech-Sławecka
Cast: Sylwia Achu, Anna Andrzejewska, Maria Chleboś, Konrad Cichoń, Piotr B. Dąbrowski, Tymoteusz Dąbrowski , Maciej Dużyński, Anna Maria Gierczyńska, Maria Haile, Anna Jagłowska, Wojciech Jaworski, Borys Jaźnicki, Katarzyna Jaźnicka, Ewa Konstanciak, Irena Lipczyńska, Kamila Michalska, Izabela Ostolska, Filip Piotr Rutkowski, Michał Sierosławski, Ewa Sołtysiak, Kaja Stępkowska, Ewa Szumska, Krystyna Lama Szydłowska, Kornelia Trawkowska, Anastazja Żak 

Photos Kasia Chmura