Michał Kruk, photo from rehearsal. Photo: Jan Duszyński
Hłasko’s novel tells the story of Polish Jews in Israel in the 1950s. He depicts a fascinating landscape of a people who, in the era of the Holocaust and with the birth of a new state, are trying to cope with life in a changing world. Hłasko captures the experience of these people caught between two worlds, trying to rebuild their communities and themselves after the war, genocide and tragic displacement. It is a tale of loyalty, love and loneliness.
In his adaptation, Zadara links these themes with contemporary times, saying:
People who were then immigrants – out of necessity, willingly, or some combination of the two – were an exception in a world of stable populations living in one place. Today, migrant drama is becoming more commonplace. It affects every country and even the smallest of cities. It was something that was identified as a unique problem in the 1960s, but is today a universal theme. So I wanted to try to capture the subject at that time, when it was just becoming visible, before it became an important – and perhaps the most important – subject of our time.
The staging combines music, visuals and the spoken word. The actors also serve as instrumentalists and operate the lights – guiding the mechanics of the production, which are visible on the stage. Together with composer Jan Duszyński (Aftermath), camera operator Artur Sienicki (Raid) and costume designer Ark Ślesiński, Zadara has staged a world that corresponds to the vision of Hłasko.
The production features Edward Linde-Lubaszenko, Anna Cieślak, Barbara Wysocka, Arkadiusz Brykalski, Mateusz Janicki, Oskar Hamerski and Michał Kruk.
Oskar Hamerski, Michał Kruk, Edward Linde-Lubaszenko, photo from rehearsal. Photo: Artur Sienicki
All Backs Were Turned will premiere on the 18th of July at the Museum of the History of Polish Jews. Additional performances will be held on the 19th, 20th, 26th and 27th of July. In autumn 2013, the show will open at the Teatr Nowy in Łódź.
The project is co-produced by CENTRALA, the Kraków Artistic Agency GAP, the Museum of the History of Polish Jews and the Teatr Nowy in Łódź. Zadara also said:
CENTRALA is a team that works to create performances that are innovative at every level: from aesthetics to theme, the relationship with the audience to the method of production. We rely on the cooperation of various public institutions, willing to share their resources. In this case, the Museum of the History of Polish Jews is hosting the show and the Teatr Nowy in Łódź provided technical and artistic workshops, as well as some of the actors.
Source: press materials
Edited: Lucyna Szura 04.07.2013
Translated: Alena Aniskiewicz 05.07.2013