Krystian Lupa "The Waiting Room" rehearsal picture; photo by Teatr Polski
"Let's imagine: a night-train express stops at a station, someone announces over the speaker there's a need to change the train and when some of the passengers get off, the train takes off. There's no chance to learn anything at the station... One can only wait till the next day in the waiting room - the only warm, decent place around
Disorientation, fatigue and stress create (or may create) a micro-community. The night subjects (or so) this micro-community to a peculiar vivisection. She herself for a moment can become a penetrating X-Ray photo of something much wider, one could perkily say "of our universe".
Let's try to allow the actors to make the first move, let them introduce their notions, affairs, desires contained in the sketch, the embryo of the character. Later a writer (a playwright) can enter and start to cultivate situations; and so the emerging matter can wander and develop on the everchanging ground…"
(Krystian Lupa)
One of the most renowned Polish theatre directors, Krystian Lupa, has created "The Waiting Room", which premieres during the European Culture Congress on the 8th of September 2011 at the Na Świebodzki stage of Wrocław's Polski Theatre. The performance is a part of the Trickster 2011 programme accompanying the European Culture Congress.
Traditionally, work on a Krystian Lupa project involves the significant creative participation of the actors, who designed their own characters, desires and motivations. The scenario typically emerged from the actors' improvisations which are the chief method Lupa employs during his work on a play.
Lupa wishes to dedicate the performance to the Wrocław Świebodzki Railway Station and other beautiful 19th century railway stations which he sees as sacred - in a way - place being "a strange church to the lost and homeless ones", as he himself puts it.
This Railway Station is an 1843 zero-class monument. It was adapted as a theatre stage without interference into its historical character after the 1994 fire outbreak which destroyed the foyer and auditorium of Polski Theatre.
"The Waiting Room" was initially designed as a collaboration between Lupa and the enfant-terrible of young Polish playwright, Dorota Masłowska, heart of the experiment laying in the generation gap and differences of aesthetics typical for the two artists between whom there's an age difference of forty years, however with time the latter resigned from the participation in the project.
"The Waiting Room". Direction and Stage Design : Krystian Lupa. Costumes: Piotr Skiba. Initial presence on the beginning of preparation of the script: Dorota Masłowska. Video Direction: Bartosz Nalazek. Editing of the video material: Konrad Styczeń. Ambient: Daniel Mariański. Blogger script collaboration: Hanna Klepacka. Light: Kazimierz Blacharski. Installation during the break:
Self-portraits of the actors/the characters. The cast: Sylwia Boroń, Krzesisława Dubielówna, Dagmara Mrowiec, Halina Rasiakówna, Marta Zięba, Ewa Skibińska, Marcin Czarnik, Mirosław Haniszewski, Rafał Kronenberger, Marcin Pempuś, Adam Szczyszczaj, Wojciech Ziemiański.
The World premiere takes place during European Culture Congress: 8th of September 2011 at 20:00 at Na Świebodzkim Stage, 20c Orląt Lwowskich Square. Repeats: September 9th, 10th, 11th at 20:00. October 15th, 16th at 19:00.
Polski Theatre
3 Gabrieli Zapolskiej St
50-032 Wrocław
creative director and chief executive: Krzysztof Mieszkowski
Na Świebodzkim Stage
20c Orląt Lwowskich Square
53-605 Wrocław
(+48) 71 341 29 54
Repertory and Ticket reservation:
(+48) 71 316 07 77-78
www.teatrpolski.wroc.pl
Source: www.teatrpolski.wroc.pl, www.mmwroclaw.pl,