Programme of the 32nd Festival
International Festival of Plays Pleasant And Unpleasant (2026)
- The 32nd Festival is co-financed by the City of Łódź and the Minister of Culture And National Heritage (programme „Theatre 2026”).
- The 32nd edition of the Festival is held under honorary patronage of Ms Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska, Marshal of the Senate of the Republic of Poland, and Ms Hanna Zdanowska, Mayor of the City of Łódź.
- Tickets for the 32nd Festival will go on sale on Wednesday, 11 March at noon – in the theatre Box Office in Pieter Smit (temporary stage of Powszechny Theatre – 2B Nowogrodzka Street), online and in the ticket machine in Galeria Łódzka.
- Tickets online will be available on Wednesday, 11 March at noon, on the Bilety24 website, tab bilety24.pl (festival tickets are among Powszechny Theatre events)
Programme of the 32nd Festival:
25 March (Wed) at 7.30 p.m.
Janusz Margański, Monika Muskała, „Kofman. Double Bind”
directed by Katarzyna Kalwat
co-produced by Nowy Theatre and the Nowe Epifanie Festival (The Centre for the Thought of John Paul II)
presented in Expo-Łódź Hall (temporary stage of Powszechny Theatre), 4 Politechniki Ave.
After the spectacle there will be a meeting with its creators.
9 April (Thu) at 7 p.m.
Sofokles/Bisz, „Antigone”
directed by Jakub Roszkowski
produced by The Juliusz Słowacki Theatre in Cracow
presented in Pieter Smit (temporary stage of Powszechny Theatre), 2B Nowogrodzka Street
After the spectacle there will be a meeting with its creators.
10 April (Fri) at 7 p.m.
Sofokles/Bisz, „Antigone”
directed by Jakub Roszkowski
produced by The Juliusz Słowacki Theatre in Cracow
presented in Pieter Smit (temporary stage of Powszechny Theatre), 2B Nowogrodzka Street
11 April (Sat) at 4 p.m.
Tadeusz Miciński, „The Polish Thermopylae”,
directed by Jan Klata
produced by Narodowy (National) Theatre in Warsaw
presented in Narodowy (National) Theatre in Warsaw.
The ticket price covers the bus trip from Łódź to Narodowy Theatre in Warsaw and back to Łódź. The trip to Warsaw: buses leave at 1 p.m. on 11 April, 2026, from the Manufaktura parking lot (The Jan Karski Street). Return to Łódź – the buses leave the parking lot in front of Narodowy (National) Theatre after the spectacle and the meeting with its creators (the spectacle lasts for 3 hours and 5 minutes with one intermission).
17 April (Fri) at 7 p.m.
Anna Wakulik, „Blood Type”
directed by Wojciech Urbański
produced by The Stefan Jaracz Ateneum Theatre in Warsaw
presented in Pieter Smit (temporary stage of Powszechny Theatre), 2B Nowogrodzka Street
After the spectacle there will be a meeting with its creators.
18 April (Sat) at 7 p.m.
Anna Wakulik, „Blood Type”
directed by Wojciech Urbański
produced by The Stefan Jaracz Ateneum Theatre in Warsaw
presented in Pieter Smit (temporary stage of Powszechny Theatre), 2B Nowogrodzka Street
21 April (Tue) at 7 p.m.
Julia Nowak, Jakub Skrzywanek, „The Kielce Protest. Who Does Kielce Belong To?”
directed by Jakub Skrzywanek
produced by The Stefan Żeromski Theatre in Kielce
presented in Pieter Smit (temporary stage of Powszechny Theatre), 2B Nowogrodzka Street
After the spectacle there will be a meeting with its creators.
22 April (Wed) at 7 p.m.
Julia Nowak, Jakub Skrzywanek, „The Kielce Protest. Who Does Kielce Belong To?”
directed by Jakub Skrzywanek
produced by The Stefan Żeromski Theatre in Kielce
presented in Pieter Smit (temporary stage of Powszechny Theatre), 2B Nowogrodzka Street
25 April (Sat) at 7 p.m.
Thomas Vinterberg, Mogens Rukov, „Celebration”
directed by Małgorzata Bogajewska
produced by Ludowy Theatre in Cracow
presented in Pieter Smit (temporary stage of Powszechny Theatre), 2B Nowogrodzka Street
After the spectacle there will be a meeting with its creators.
26 April (Sun) at 7 p.m.
Thomas Vinterberg, Mogens Rukov, „Celebration”
directed by Małgorzata Bogajewska
produced by Ludowy Theatre in Cracow
presented in Pieter Smit (temporary stage of Powszechny Theatre), 2B Nowogrodzka Street
27 April (Mon) at 7 p.m.
Norbert Bajan, „I’m Fine”
directed by Cezary Tomaszewski
produced by Studio Theatre in Warsaw
presented in Expo-Łódź Hall (temporary stage of Powszechny Theatre), 4 Politechniki Ave.
After the spectacle there will be a meeting with its creators.
8 May (Fri) at 7 p.m.
„Europa”, based on „Europa’s Pledge” („Le Serment d’Europe”) by Wajdi Mouawad
directed by Krzysztof Warlikowski
co-produced by Nowy Theatre and the Nowe Epifanie Festival (The Centre for the Thought of John Paul II)
presented in Expo-Łódź Hall (temporary stage of Powszechny Theatre), 4 Politechniki Ave.
After the spectacle there will be a meeting with its creators.
9 May (Sat) at 1 p.m.
Discussion panel „The Krzysztof Warlikowski theatre phenomenon”
Moderator:
Piotr Gruszczyński – theatre critic, dramaturgist, essayist. In 2005–2008 he took the position of dramaturgy director in TR Warsaw, and since 2008 he has been the dramaturg in Nowy Theatre. In 2003 he published a book „Ojcobójcy. Młodsi zdolniejsi w teatrze polskim” – a collection of essays and interviews devoted to a new generation of theatre creators and in 2007 a book „Szekspir i uzurpator” – a series of interviews with Krzysztof Warlikowski. He has worked with Krzysztof Warlikowski on the adaptation for the stage of „(A)pollonia”, „Opowieści afrykańskie według Szekspira”, „Kabaret warszawski”, „Francuzi” i „Wyjeżdżamy”, as well as „Phedres” in Théâtre de l’Odéon in Paris. „Europa” is their latest mutual production.
Participants:
Theresa Benér – Swedish theatre critic and feature writer specializing in contemporary European theatre. She studied drama, theatre and film at Lund University in Sweden. Since the beginning of the 1980s she has published hundreds of reviews, columns, essays and reports devoted to theatre and culture. In 2020-2022 Bener was the president of the Swedish section of the International Association of Theatre Critics (AICT). In 2012-2017 she was a member of the Swedish Academy Theatre Committee. She also presided over jury of „Thalia” award given by „Kvällsposten” for achievements in perfomative performances in southern Sweden. In the 1990s she worked in association of foreign press journalists in Paris.
Anna Lewandowska – a graduate from Theatre Studies Department of Theatre Academy in Warsaw. Since 2008 she has been connected with Nowy Theatre in Warsaw where she is a dramatist assistant. Together with Piotr Gruszczyński she co-created dramaturgy for „Odyseja. Historia dla Hollywood”, „Elizabeth Costello” and „Europa” directed by Krzysztof Warlikowski. A curator and coordinator of literary programme in Nowa Księgarnia, editor of theatre texts. In 2023 she was a co-curator of drama section at „Odnalezione w tłumaczeniu” literary festival in Gdańsk.
Christian Longchamp – dramaturg, curator and essayist connected with European opera and theatre institutions. In 2004-2007 he worked as a curator at the Louvre Auditorium where he prepared interdisciplinary programmes joining cinema, literature, philosophy and theatre. In 2007-2014 he was the artistic adviser, dramaturg and head of publications at opera La Monnaie in Brussels. He cooperated also with Opéra National de Paris and Opéra national du Rhin in Strasbourg. Christian Longchamp worked as a dramaturg of many of Krzysztof Warlikowski’s opera and theratre productions presented, among others, in Paris Opera, La Monnaie, Teatro Real in Madrid, the Dutch National Opera in Amsterdam, Royal Opera House in London and the Bavarian State Opera in Munich. He collaborated with such directors as Romeo Castellucci, Alvis Hermanis, Joël Pommerat and Thomas Ostermeier. He took part in preparing productions at the most important European festivals, to mention Salzburg, Avignon and Aix-en-Provence.
Carolin Losch – German theatrologist and dramaturg. She cooperated with many European theatres, such as Theatre am Turm in Frankfurt, Deutsches Schauspielhaus in Hamburg, Schauspielhaus Bochum, Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe, Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus, Lucerne Theatre, Nationaltheater Mannheim and Schauspiel Stuttgart. She worked with directors Amélie Niermeyer, Mateja Koležnik, Stefan Pucher, Friederike Heller and Oliver Frljić. Her work focuses on contemporary drama and international theatre co-productions. In 2019-2021 she was a dramaturg in the „European Ensemble” project, a collaboration of Schauspiel Stuttgart, Nowy Theatre in Warsaw and Zagreb Youth Theatre. As a dramaturg she collaborated in „Europa” directed by Krzysztof Warlikowski.
Joanna Tokarska-Bakir – Polish cultural anthropologist, professor of humanities, researcher connected with Institute of Slavic Studies of Polish Academy of Sciences. Her academic interests are primarily focused on the anthropology of religion, tibetology, Polish folk religiosity and studies on the Holocaust and post-war anti-Jewish pogroms in Poland. She held fellowships from numerous prestigious research institutions such as Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Princeton University, Institute for Advanced Study, Imre Kertész Kolleing in Jena, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin. She is a professor in Institute of Slavic Studies of Polish Academy of Sciences where she is the head of Department of Nationality Studiesand in 2023–2026 she served as the chairwoman of the institute’s Scientific Council. Before that she was a professor in the Institute of Applied Social Sciences, University of Warsaw and in Collegium Civitas, where she was the head of Department of Cultural Anthropology.
Guy Cherqui – French music and theatre critic specializing mainly in opera and music theatre. He is one of the most recognizable figures in European opera criticism and author of hundreds (or even thousands) of reviews and articles on this subject. He has written about most important performances on the stages in Berlin, Vienna and Paris. For years he has been a regular guest at the Bayreuth and Salzburg festivals. He has cooperated not only with French but also Italian, German and Spanish journals (like „Platea Magazine” or „Opernwelt”). He is the co-creator of „Wanderer” website devoted to culture and art as well as the co-founder of the blog „Le blog du Wanderer”.
9 May (Sat) at 7 p.m.
„Europa”, based on „Europa’s Pledge” („Le Serment d’Europe”) by Wajdi Mouawad
directed by Krzysztof Warlikowski
co-produced by Nowy Theatre and the Nowe Epifanie Festival (The Centre for the Thought of John Paul II)
presented in Expo-Łódź Hall (temporary stage of Powszechny Theatre), 4 Politechniki Ave.
30 May (Sat) at 4 p.m.
Mateusz Górniak, „The Pyramid of Animals”
directed by Michał Borczuch
produced by The Helena Modrzejewska Narodowy (National) Stary Theatre in Cracow
presented in The Helena Modrzejewska Narodowy (National) Stary Theatre in Cracow.
The ticket price covers the bus trip from Łódź to Narodowy Stary Theatre in Cracow and back to Łódź. More details concerning the trip will be published at a later time on the Powszechny Theatre website.
After the spectacle there will be a meeting with its creators.
Non-competitive part:
26 June (Fri) at 7 p.m.
Juliusz Machulski, „MECZYCHO”
directed by Tomasz Karolak
produced by Powszechny Theatre in Łódź (first presentation)
presented in Expo-Łódź Hall (temporary stage of Powszechny Theatre), 4 Politechniki Ave. After the spectacle there will be a meeting with its creators.
27 June (Sat) at 1 p.m.
Discussion „Machulski national treasure? The Juliusz Machulski comedy phenomenon”
Moderator:
Wojciech Majcherek – a graduate from Theatre Studies Department of the State High Theatre School in Warsaw. Theatrologist and theatre critic. In 1990-2005 he worked in „Teatr” monthly and in 1997-2016 he was a lecturer at the Theatre Studies Department of The Aleksander Zelwerowicz Theater Academy in Warsaw. He worked in TVP Kultura channel and cooperated with Oned.pl as theatre critic. He was the literary director of Dramatyczny Theatre in Warsaw as well as theatre festival selector among others at Drama Directing „Interpretacje” Festival in Katowice and Konfrontacje Teatralne in Lublin. He was the curator of the 36th and 37th edition of Warszawskie Spotkania Teatralne. He is the author of „Wojciecha Majcherka. Nie tylko o teatrze” blog. Long-time editor and manager, and currently deputy director of the TVP Television Theatre.
27 June (Sat) at 7 p.m.
Juliusz Machulski, „MECZYCHO”
directed by Tomasz Karolak
produced by Powszechny Theatre in Łódź (first presentation)
presented in Expo-Łódź Hall (temporary stage of Powszechny Theatre), 4 Politechniki Ave. After the spectacle there will be a meeting with its creators.
Poster Masters Gallery of International Festival of Plays Pleasant And Unpleasant (Waldemar Świerzy, Rafał Olbiński, Eugeniusz Get-Stankiewicz, Michał Batory, Andrzej Pągowski, Stanisław Fijałkowski are the artists who among others designed Festival posters) has grown by another poster designed by Józef Robakowski (it is the second time the artist designed the poster for the Festival). The poster was based on a series of Robakowski’s works of 1981 – „Handshake”.
«The motive for initiating the action „Handshake” was the date – 13 Demeber, 1981 – effective day of the decree of martial law announced by the Polish government. In our „reality” it was the moment we all lost the sense of security. „Handshake” with people who were connected with me was the only gesture I could make. It gave me the possibility of a contact with other people. I marked my „paintings” with consecutive numbers from 1 to 24. They were created cyclically and in the same way they were given to my friends. I hope that in future when the martial law decree will cease to apply I will ask my trustees to lend „the paintings” for an exhibition. Then we will see what human fate was connected with the object/symbol» – the artist wrote about the series.
