Master Presentation of „Hamlet” directed by Jan Englert at the 31st Festival

The highest quality Master Presentation closed the competition part of this year’s edition of the Festival. We saw William Shakespear’s „Hamlet” directed by Jan Englert on 13 April 2025  in Narodowy (National) Theatre. It was the second presentation of the play, after that Jan Englert met with the viewers. Thank you for the exceptional night!

„Hamlet” crowns Jan Englert’s 28 years of artistic work in Narodowy Theatre. This has been his another interpretation of the play – he played in it several times (also the title role), he directed it for the Polish Television Theatre.

- As a „Festival community” we want to thank Jan Englert, great artist who shaped generations; one of the last great Masters and outstanding director of Narodowy Theatre who created the image of the theatre after Jerzy Grzegorzewski had left – with a vision, charisma and courage. During his management the theatre became the reference point for Polish theatre in general – we all looked at the artistic pulse of Narodowy Theatre. Parting of Jan Englert and Narodowy Theatre is a symbolic end of certain era of the theatre but I think it means an opening of a new chapter – I hope that without this „burden” of being a manager we will be able to meet Jan Englert – director and actor – more often – Ewa Pilawska, Festival’s artistic director, says.

As the spectacle’s creators emphasize, details may decide about stage interpretations of Hamlet. But the details are always important. For example: does the ghost of his father appears to Hamlet and in what figure?  What is true and what is false at the Danish royal Court of Elsinore? Can you believe the ghosts’ stories? Can you believe anybody? Who manipulates, who seeks the truth, who is under the dillussion of seeking the truth? And finally, is there anyone worthy of any sympathy at all?

- There are many things in „Hamlet” – politics, violence and morality, dispute about unambiguity of theory and practice, about ultimate goals and sense of life, there is a love tragedy, family tragedy, philosophical tragedy, eschatological and metaphysical tragedy. Everything you might want! And there is a thrilling psychological study, too – Jan Kott, a critic and essayist, wrote. You can ask questions about all senses of Shakespeare’s tragedies on and on, but when you try to find answers you have to accept Jan Kott’s opinion: “each Hamlet, except for the Hamlet of philologists, has always been a modern man”.

Many outstanding actors have played the title role in recent years. But it is quite unusual to start an acting career by playing Hamlet. For Hugo Tarres the title role in the spectacle directed by Jan Englert is his first role in Narodowy Theatre at all.

Thank you!

William Shakespeare
„Hamlet”
(„The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark”)
Translated by Stanisław Barańczak
Directed by Jan Englert
Stage design: Wojciech Stefaniak
Costumes: Martyna Kander
Music: Aleksandra Gryka
Choreography: Tomasz Wygoda
Light design: Karolina Gębska
Video: Jagoda Chalcińska
Fight choreography: Przemysław Wyszyński
Cast: Hugo Tarres, Helena Englert, Beata Ścibakówna, Mateusz Kmiecik, Cezary Kosiński, Przemysław Stippa, Paweł Brzeszcz, Sebastian Dela, Piotr Kramer, Robert Jarociński/Hubert Paszkiewicz, Bartłomiej Bobrowski, Jerzy Radziwiłowicz, Patrycja Soliman/Joanna Gryga, Arkadiusz Janiczek, Jakub Gawlik, Marcin Przybylski, Henryk Simon, Paweł Tołwiński, Kacper Matula, Damian Mirga, Mariusz Urbaniec, Przemysław Wyszyński

 

Photos: Maciej Zakrzewski