The world first presentation of „Imagine” by Krystian Lupa – at the 28th Festival

On Saturday, 23 April, we presented „Imagine”, directed by Krystian Lupa. It is a co-production of Powszechny Theatre in Warsaw and Powszechny Theatre in Łódź. The world first presentation of the play took place at the 28th International Festival of Plays Pleasant and Unpleasant. We would like to thank all those who were involved in the production of this mutual project. Thank you for being with us last night.

„Imagine” is an artistic journey to the world of counterculture, times of cultural and identification revolution of the turn of the 60-ties and the 70-ties. Krystian Lupa, starting with the lyrics of John Lennon’s “Imagine”, asks the question on utopia’s liveliness in the modern world, especially the idea of New Age, the world without wars, countries, possessions and hatred.

Krystian Lupa asks about utopia’s place in the world where spirituality has been either commercialized or politicized and human values, human rights, equality and individual freedom have been depreciated. The director returns to a psychological and spiritual phenomenon of New Age and to traces from „Imagine” by John Lennon, who – as a „new Christ” – suggested to imagine the world without wars, countries, hatred and possessions but without religion, too.

- In my opinion I belong to this hippies generation, in a way New Age generation – Krystian Lupa says. – John Lennon wrote in „Imagine”: imagine there’s no heaven\hell, there’s no countries and nations that are worth dying for and killing […] Of course the point is how to introduce this idea, to implement it in human thought and imagination. It is clear for me that this brilliant text has been a hymn of the generation, to a certain extent the New Age hymn. It has been a phenomenon, a great symbol of culture and of things that have been thrown away. Why have they been thrown away? – we ask this question during the spectacle – Lupa says.     

- I am happy and proud to have the world premiere of „Imagine” at the 28th International Festival of Plays Pleasant and Unpleasant in Powszechny Theatre in Łódź because I have always considered Krystian Lupa as one of the greatest and most outstanding modern theatre creators. His productions are very original, visionary, even prophetic. They always reach very deep, to the very heart of problems. Lupa analyzes and anticipates things that are about to happen. It is also the case of „Imagine” – the spectacle that resuscitates human dream of a world without aggression and violence, with no need to subdue other people – Ewa Pilawska says. The director of Powszechny Theatre in Łódź and artistic director of International Festival of Plays Pleasant and Unpleasant adds: - I am happy because of our co-production with Powszechny Theatre in Warsaw. It has been our second co-production with director Paweł Łysak – she notices.

– „Imagine” – says Krystian Lupa to us, using the lyrics of famous John Lennon’s song. The artist has again found his artistic harbour in our theatre. „Imagine” is a challenge from the production point of view. The spectacle which is co-produced within „Prospero. Extended Theatre” – a European project realized by outstanding theatrical companies – is an opportunity to broaden artistic development and international co-operation. I am glad we can present the spectacle for the first time at Powszechny Theatre in Łódź – it is a natural consequence of our initiatives and long history of our mutual activities, and – last but not least – a strong personal involvement of director Ewa Pilawska – says Paweł Łysak, director of Powszechny Theatre in Warsaw.

Below you can find photographs from the premiere night! Next presentations of „Imagine” on Our Big Stage will take place on 28, 29 and 30 April at 7 p.m. Then we present the spectacle in Warsaw.

„Imagine”
Direction and stage design: Krystian Lupa
Script: Krystian Lupa and collective creation of the actors
Music: Bogumił Misala
Costumes: Piotr Skiba
Producers: Karolina Pawłoś, Michalina Żemła
Video: Natan Berkowicz, Joanna Kakitek
Asssistant to the director, dramaturgy  co-operation – Dawid Kot
Assistant to the director – Jan Kamiński
Stage-manager: Iza Stolarska
Cast: Karolina Adamczyk, Grzegorz Artman, Michał Czachor, Anna Ilczuk, Andrzej Kłak, Michał Lacheta, Mateusz Łasowski, Karina Seweryn, Piotr Skiba, Ewa Skibińska, Julian Świeżewski, Marta Zięba.

Photographs: Maciej Zakrzewski