‘I remember, then, the 25th of November, when the curtain went up, we immediately felt that something special was happening. We were convinced, that the audience came not to just see ‘Forefathers’ Eve’, but to experience the truth and power of words that were so falsely used by officials. Their waiting reached its culmination during the opening of the second half when Kazimierz Opaliński began with the recited Dedication: “In memory of Jan Sobolewski, Cyprian Daszkiewicz, Feliks Kółakowski, students, prisoners, exiles in arms; for their love of Country persecuted, died out of longing for their Country in Arkghanelsk, in Moscow, Petersburg, martyrs for the national cause”. He began crying and couldn’t finish the text. I stood behind the curtains, waiting for Konrad’s entrance, trembling with emotion. I was unable to stop the emotions sweeping over the audience and the scene. Truly, as described by professor [Zbigniew] Raszewski, in the first half of the performance, I had such anxiety I couldn’t perform. And then began something I have never since experienced in the theatre, a complete bridging of the gulf between the viewers and the performance – we, the actors, became part of the audience.’
Interview with Gustaw Holoubek by Małgorzata Terlecka-Reksnis in ‘Holoubek: Rozmowy (Holoubek: Conversations), Warsaw 2008.