The latest production from the Polish playwright goes behind the scenes of political revolution. Tadeusz Słobodzianek reveals the performance is "about the transformation of an idealist into a brutal political player"
Słobodzianek’s new play draws inspiration from events in the life of Stalin. Its action takes place in Georgia, Vienna, Kraków and London, at a time when the old Europe’s days are done, and the new Europe has not yet emerged. We are presented with the turn of events that lead to the revolution, and witness a man who gradually decides that reality must conform to his vision.
After Our Class and the Prophet Ilya, this is the third work staged by Słobodzianek in collaboration with Slovakian director Ondrey Spišak at the Teatr na Woli stage in Warsaw. Spišak admits that in working on the play, he came to realise that a potential Stalin, a leader who recklessly strives to achieve his goals, is a pertinent threat in contemporary reality. The director claims that the political situation is not unlike the one in 1907, and sees Słobodzianek’s drama as a warning against repeating history.
Słobodzianek explains his take on the figure of Stalin :
Mankind’s history is filled with morally ambiguous hero-tyrants, who would conquer and dominate in the name of ideals [...] The evil of Stalin is fascinating, because it is our common evil, in fact we all imitate his techniques of manipulation and employ them to satisfy our own needs. This is what contemporary political life is. My protagonist erased the figure of his own father from memory, thanks to which he gained a sense of absolute power, and the need for building a new system of values and a new religion.
The lead role is performed by Marcin Sztabiński. The cast includes Halina Skoczyńska, Agnieszka Wosińska, Izabela Dąbrowska, Paula Kinaszewska, Anna Markowicz, Anna Szymańczyk, Agnieszka Warchulska, Michał Czernecki, Krzysztof Dracz, Mariusz Drężek, Janusz R. Nowicki, Krzysztof Ogłoza, Piotr Siwkiewicz and Maciej Wyczański.
Preview showings of Young Stalin take place on the 6th of April 2013 at the Teatr Dramatyczny in Warsaw.
Anna Legierska,
Translated by Paulina Schlosser, source: press release, 3.04.2013