“Magnolia” at the 26th Festival
On Sunday, 8 March, during the 26th edition of International Festival of Plays Pleasant and Unpleasant we presented “Magnolia”, directed by Krzysztof Skonieczny, and produced by the Edmund Wierciński Współczesny Theatre in Wrocław.
Inspired by „Magnolia” by Paul Thomas Anderson, Krzysztof Skonieczny produced a vision of the world which was affected by crisis, emptiness and fear. In this chaotic and fairy-tale reality there are people who are lonely and who long for love – a patient who has cancer, grown-ups who went childish, annoying parents, unhappy couple, bored TV stars. Traumas from their past and helplessness make them become grotesque and aggressive. They are funny and tragic at the same time.
The play’s creators underline that for the fear of ridicule or rejection “Magnolia’s” heroes are ashamed to reveal their feelings, which eventually explode with multiplied power. The awareness that everyone shares the same desire for love and the same fear of getting hurt, reborn in new forms and configurations, increases the sense of responsibility for their own actions. “Magnolia” is a play about forgiveness, excess and lack and need of love.
After the spectacle Łukasz Drewniak moderated the meeting with its creators. They said that theatrical “Magnolia” starts at the point where Anderson’s film ends. Both parts of the spectacle comment each other and say quite a lot not only about the play’s heroes but also about theatre and its audience. Krzysztof Skonieczny, known for his film, clip and series productions, talked about his new meeting with theatre where he is interested in crossing theatrical convention borders.
“Magnolia”
based on the script by Paul Thomas Anderson
Director, adaptation, video: Krzysztof Skonieczny
Adaptation, dramaturgy: Anka Herbut
Set design: Fabien Lédé
Music: Wojtek Urbański & The Frogs
Costumes: Svenja Gassen
Lights, video: Michał Dymek
Choreography: Marta Ziółek
Director’s assistant: Eryk Lenartowicz
Choreographic cooperation: Karolina Kraczkowska
Musical cooperation: Michał Bąk
Video cooperation: Sebastian Malik, Dominik Wilkowski
Camera operators: Adam Pietkiewicz / Wojciech Januszewski, Janusz Kaźmierski
Casting: Bugaj-Czajor
Light production: Jan Sławkowski
Sound production: Marcin Zachanowicz
Video production: Marcin Dominiak
Cast: Ewelina Paszke-Lowitzsch, Wiesław Cichy, Paulina Wosik, Piotr Łukaszczyk, Jerzy Senator, Mateusz Łasowski, Maciej Tomaszewski, Anna Kieca, Tomasz Orpiński, Miłosz Pietruski, Igor Mizgała
