Pictured (from left): Krzysztof Tyniec, Sylwia Zmitrowicz and Artur Barciś; photo by Marcin Wegner / Teatre Ateneum
A fantastically perverse play by the French actress and playwright, Yasmin Reza, directed by
Izabella Cywińska. Two forty-somethings meet after a brawl between their sons. One boy has lost two teeth. They are decent people, full of good will, trying to courtesly resolve the problems of their children with class. But their civilized chat soon becomes heated.
The mask of decency falls and the conversation encroaches on completely unforeseen territory. Despite their best efforts, the four protagonists reveal the bitter truth about themselves and their relations. They mock others and have irrational arguments, which testify to their sexual, racial and social intolerance.
These cultural and well-educated people ridicule, above all, their own selves.
Reza unmasks the contemporary world. Her art vividly illustrates how much barbarian behaviour there still is in the world and how few supposedly cultured persons.
Yasmin Reza has paired both high and low drama, says Izabel Cywinska. Which is hard and rarely works. This also became the motif underpinning a lot of her work. Some regard her as one of the best French dramatists, others think, that she is barely even a popular author. Today, when it is hard to pull audiences into theatres, especially when the production is an example of so-called 'high art', Reza can truly prove to be a deliverer.
Her comedy-drama The God of Murderers" / "Bóg mordu carried off a global success. It won prestigious awards, including the Tony Award for best Play and the Laurence Olivier Award for the best comedy.
- The God of Murderers Yasminy Rezy; translation: Barbara Grzegorzewska; direction: Izabella Cywińska; set design: Marcin Stajewski; music: Wojciech Borkowski; lighting design: Mirosław Poznański; starring: Barbara Prokopowicz, Sylwia Zmitrowicz, Artur Barciś, Krzysztof Tyniec; world premiere: December 4, 2010.
Teatr Ateneum im. Stefana Jaracza
ul. Jaracza 2, 00-378 Warszawa
Artistic Director: Izabella Cywińska
tel. (+48 22) 625 24 21, 625 37 96
fax (+48 22) 625 36 07
Source: press release
www.teatrateneum.pl