„Ulysses” at the 29th festival

„Ulysses” is considered to be the best novel by James Joyce and one of the world’s literature masterpieces. Using the stream of consciousness technique, it chronicles the appointments and encounters of the main character, Leopold Bloom, in Dublin in the course of an ordinary day, 16 June 1904. Last year, a hundred years after „Ulysses” premiered, there was a new translation of the novel published in Poland. Its author, Maciej Świerkocki, comes from Łódź, and director Ewa Pilawska’s  idea to organize a festival trip to Poznań was a compliment to the translator and to the whole Łódź literature community which are having „a good time”. Świerkocki has tried to convince the readers that „Ulysses” is not only for the insiders nor is it an elite work but a masterly novel you can draw epicurean joy from.            

After the Saturday spectacle Jacek Wakar moderated the meeting with Maja Kleczewska, the spectacle creators and Maciej Świerkocki. Kleczewska told about the work on the spectacle – starting from the initial doubts (when there appeared a question „how to present Joyce in the theatre?”) to the decision of an open, performative form of the spectacle with the actors melting into the audience. The director also told about the production’s diffused perception – the action takes place in various spaces at the same time and the audience are not able to receive all of it with the same focus, they have to make choices. They have freedom and discretion of perception, their own way of interpretation which seems the best way to receive Joyce’s stream of consciousness, unhindered confusion of thoughts.              

We thank the whole team of Polski Theatre in Poznań as well as directors Marcin Kowalski and Maciej Nowak who were present during the spectacle and the meeting.

Polski Theatre in Poznań
James Joyce
„Ulysses”
Translated by Maciej Świerkocki
Directed abd adapted by Maja Kleczewska
Dramaturgy, adaptation: Damian Josef Neć
Music: Cezary Duchnowski
Stage design: Zbigniew Libera
Costumes: Konrad Parol
Choreography: Kaya Kołodziejczyk
Light and video direction: Wojciech Puś
Music direction: Adam Domurat
The spectacle accompanied by Orkiestra Antraktowa of Polski Theatre in Poznań conducted by Adam Domurat and by Pogłosy choir
Transliteration of Hebrew texts: Damian Josef Neć
Cast: Piotr Jankowski, Mariusz Adamski, Alan Al-Murtatha, Piotr B. Dąbrowski, Michał Kaleta, Piotr Kaźmierczak, Kaya Kołodziejczyk, Barbara Krasińska, Jakub Papuga, Michał Sikorski, Alona Szostak, Andrzej Szubski, Ewa Szumska, Kornelia Trawkowska

Photo Maciej Zakrzewski