On Friday, 20 October, first presentation of „Appearances”, on Sunday discussion „Why are we ashamed of comedy?”
On 20 October Powszechny Theatre in Łódź will premiere „Appearances” („Pyjama pour six”) directed by Jakub Przebindowski. – The date was not chosen by accident because in autumn we will celebrate Marc Camoletti’s (the author of the play) 100th birthday – Ewa Pilawska, director of the theatre, reminds. Also on Friday there will be awards given to the laureates of the last edition of „Comedywriting” competition. Then on Saturday we will have a discussion „Why are we ashamed of comedy?”. Juliusz Machulski will be one of the panel’s participants.
Appearances and halftruths… Camoletti’s comedy on his 100th birthday
„Appearances” („Pyjama pour six”) is a comedy with new adventures of a cult maid Nadia, a hero of several plays and and an internet miniseries. – The play was specially translated for us by Bartosz Wierzbięta and we planned the first presentation of it for autumn due to its author’s 100th birthday. He is a French playwright who is a master of an unusual precision and intuition in building up a comedy plot. His play „Boeing, Boeing” has a place in the Guinness Book of Records as having the greatest number of stagings and its has still been presented with great success – Ewa Pilawska says.
We continue our theatrical series which is very popular among our audience, not only in Łódź. Just like in previous parts of the series the plot of the play is moved to the Łódź reality. This time Nadia works for a famous film producer who lives with his wife in a luxury farmhouse in Żabiczki, not far from Łodź. As it soon appears, Nadia’s main job is not to organize the house but rather to organize a private life of her employer which is very complicated… - The spectacle poses several questions – does truth help us in our life or does it disturb us? Why do we project an image? Why do we strike poses? Why do we live in a world of half-truths? Do we want to protect ourselves in this way? Is it a way of a safe escape? – Jakub Przebindowski, director of the play, asks.
The stage design was done by Wojciech Stefaniak and the costumes by Anna Poniewierska. The cast includes Aleksandra Bogulewska, Paulina Nadel, Sebastian Jasnoch, Michał Lacheta and Arkadiusz Wójcik. The spectacle will be presented on 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 October, on 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 November and in the following months.
Awards for the laureates of „Comedywriting” competition
After the presentation of „Appearances” there will be an official ceremony of giving the awards to the laureates of our competition „Comedywriting”: Paweł Mossakowski, Katarzyna Knychalska, Jerzy Rubaszewski and Marcin Bałczewski – Ewa Pilawska announces. – Some directors are already interested in the texts, I hope we will soon meet at their performances. It is very important because we very seldom reach out for new Polish texts, especially comedies. And yet without curiosity, courage, taking artistic risk, we will not build Polish comedy language and this is what we – in Polish Comedy Centre – have been seeking for – Ewa Pilawska adds.
Discussion „Why are we ashamed of comedy?”
On Saturday, 21 October, there will be a panel discussion „Why are we ashamed of comedy?”. Juliusz Machulski and and Jacek Cieślak will take part in the discussion which will be moderated by Jacek Wakar. The participants will talk about the reasons of a bad reputation of comedies and the lack of respect for them. Is it a result of our complexes? Why is there a hierarchical, false division into artistic and entertainment theatre which comedy is identified a priori with? Why are ashamed of a sense of humour? We are we afraid of talking standoffishly about serious matters?
The discussion will be streamed on Powszechny Theatre FB profile. Tickets are for a symbolic 1 zloty.
