Established in 1976, this was initially an impresario-type theatre. It staged the first premiere of its own in 1977 - Aleksander Fredro's ZEMSTA / THE REVENGE directed by Aleksander Berlin. An acting company was soon assembled, and the theatre put on Aleksander Maliszewski's DROGA DO CZARNOLASU / THE ROAD TO CZARNOLAS directed by Zygmunt Wojdan (1978). Wojdan was appointed manager of the Radom theatre and ran it for thirteen years, until 1991. During this time mainly Polish classics were staged, with some productions of contemporary plays, and mainly Wojdan directed. His projects included Juliusz Slowacki's HORSZTYŃSKI (1983) and KORDIAN (1985), Stanisław Wyspiański's WESELE / THE WEDDING (1987), and Witkacy's SZEWCY / THE SHOEMAKERS (1988) as well as Vaclav Havel's TEMPTATION (1990) and Georg Tabori's MEIN KAMPF (1991). He also prepared an interesting adaptation of Isaac Bashevis Singer's THE MAGICIAN OF LUBLIN (1985). The repertoire included many works by Sławomir Mrożek, with Wojdan staging ZABAWA / THE PARTY and KAROL / CHARLIE (1979), DRUGIE DANIE / REPEAT PERFORMANCE (1980) and EMIGRANCI / THE ÉMIGRÉS (1982), Wowo Bielicki directing SZCZĘŚLIWE WYDARZENIE / A FORTUNATE OCCURRENCE (1984), and Alicja Choińska presenting POLICJA / THE POLICE (1987). Other directors who worked with the theatre included Krystyna Meissner, author of a stage adaptation of Wyspianski's WYZWOLENIE / LIBERATION (1980), and Teresa Żukowska who staged JADZIA WDOWA / JADZIA THE WIDOW - a vaudeville by Ryszard Ruszkowski (1980). In fact vaudevilles became a supplement to ambitious repertoire, and included Julian Tuwim's ŻOŁNIERZ KRÓLOWEJ MADAGASKARU / THE SOLDIER OF THE QUEEN OF MADAGASCAR (dir. Wojdan, 1986) and Władysław Krzemiński's ROMANS Z WODEWILU / A VAUDEVILLE ROMANCE (dir. Józef Para and Barbara Fijewska, 1978).
In 1991-1998 the theatre was dynamically managed by Wojciech Kępczyński. As of 1991, shows were staged in the new theatre building in Jagiellonski Square. Kępczyński embarked on a series of musical productions. He staged Andrew Lloyd Webber's JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT (1996) and Jose Fernandez's FAME (1997). Many Broadway and West End plays were produced, including Ray Cooney's TWO INTO ONE directed by Józef Skwarek (1992) and David Mamet's SEXUAL PERVERSITY IN CHICAGO directed by Marcin Sławiński (1992). The Radom theatre produced some really interesting shows, and collaborating artists included Jacek Zembrzuski - author of an adaptation of August Strindberg's MISS JULIE (1993), Zbigniew Brzoza who staged Sophocles' ANTIGONE (1994), and Jan Maciejowski who produced Shakespeare's TWELFTH NIGHT (1995). Witold Gombrowicz was also staged. Brzoza produced ZBRODNIA Z PREMEDYTACJĄ / A PREMEDITATED CRIME (1993), Waldemar Śmigasiewicz directed KOSMOS / COSMOS (1995), and Krzysztof Warlikowski staged TANCERZ MECENASA KRAYKOWSKIEGO / ATTORNEY KRAYKOWSKI'S DANCER (1997). All of these productions were artistic successes. The first edition of the INTERNATIONAL GOMBROWICZ FESTIVAL was held in Radom in 1993, and has taken place biannually ever since.
Kępczyński pursued an open policy of theatre activity, inviting many ensembles from around Poland and presenting productions by both institutional and alternative theatres. The Radom theatre was host to the Stary Teatr of Krakow, the Wroclaw Mime Theatre, Warsaw's Studio, Ateneum and Powszechny theatres, Scena Plastyczna KUL, Teatr Osmego Dnia. The manager established more festivals - the RADOM THEATRE WEEK and the FREDRO DAYS - NATIONAL CONFRONTATIONS.
After Kępczyński left the theatre, he was replaced in 1998 by Linas M. Zaikauskas who ran the Radom institution until 2001. An eclectic repertoire continued to be developed, but this time there was a shortage of artistically interesting productions. Projects staged by Zaikauskas included Shakespeare's KING LEAR (2000) and Anton Chekhov's THE THREE SISTERS. A FEW YEARS LATER (2000).
Adam Sroka has been running the Kochanowski Theatre since 2001. The first "BOLD RADOM" FESTIVAL OF PREMIERES was held a year after his appointment. The latest Polish plays are presented at the festival in the form of performances, projects, and read-through rehearsals.
"If we want audiences to respect us, we have to show them the same respect," Sroka says. "As an artist I am anything but meek, I am perverse, my productions are not traditional, sometimes they are not for the broad public, but on the other hand I treat the audience very seriously, I value their opinion. This means I don't think of them as people who understand nothing and can, for example, be shown things that are imperfect." ("Gazeta Wyborcza - Radom" 13 April 2004)
The Radom theatre stages mainly Polish contemporary drama. Jarosław Tochowicz produced Anna Burzyńska's NAJWIĘCEJ SAMOBÓJSTW ZDARZA SIĘ W NIEDZIELĘ / SUICIDAL SUNDAY BOOM (2004), Karolina Szymczyk presented her own text ROZMOWY NOCĄ / CONVERSATIONS AT NIGHT (2005) and Monika Chmielewska's CAFÉ TOXIC (2006), while Natalia Babińska staged Jakub Boryczko's KOMÓRKOWE LOVE / MOBILE PHONE LOVE (2006). Adam Sroka staged an interpretation of Małgorzata Owsiany's POGANIACZE WIATRU / DRIVERS OF THE WIND (2005). He has also worked on the classics, producing KORDIAN CZYLI PANOPTIKUM STRACHÓW POLSKICH / KORDIAN OR A PANOPTICON OF POLISH FEARS based on the play by Juliusz Slowacki (2004). Krzysztof Galos has directed both contemporary pieces (Radosław Dobrowolski's WARIACJE MAŁŻEŃSKIE NA WIELOGŁOS I KANAPĘ / MARRIAGE VARIATIONS FOR MULTIPLE VOICES AND A SOFA, 2004) and classics (Shakespeare's THE TEMPEST, 2006). The Kochanowski Theatre continues to work on Gombrowicz, with Sroka staging ŚLUB - AKT PODRÓŻNY / THE WEDDING - A TRAVELLER'S ACT (2002), and Galos producing TRANS-ATLANTYK. PROJEKT / TRANS-ATLANTIC. A PROJECT based on the writer's prose (2002). The repertoire also includes comedies and farces, such as Dave Freeman's A BEDFULL OF FOREIGNERS directed by Galos (2005).
In 2006 the Radom theatre's large stage was named after the deceased Zygmunt Wojdan.
Monika Mokrzycka-Pokora
June 2006
Teatr Powszechny im. Jana Kochanowskiego w Radomiu
Plac Jagielloński 15
26-600 Radom
Phone: (+48 48) 384 53 06, 384 53 37-41
Phone/Fax: (+48 48) 384 53 07
WWW: www.teatr.radom.pl