Forefathers' Eve is an important part of Polish and Belarusian history, culture, and literary tradition. Like other works by Adam Mickiewicz, they've been a point of reference for many Belarusian artists, so it’s not a surprise that when Paweł Passini proposed stage this Polish drama to the Belarusians, he heard the words: 'But it’s ours!'
We have to look for a common language with Belarus. We have to put in order our memory, those who've died, without it we won’t be able to live, breathe, to rise as a nation.
– says the director, who, together with Patrycja Dołowy, connected romantic verses with the modern history that we know so well from the reportages of this year’s Nobel Prize winner, Svetlana Alexievich.
References to World War II and the dark times of Stalinism are all important in the play.
Mickiewicz opens the memory, gives us tools.
– adds the author of the script, who met with great Belarusian experts on the dziady ritual during her work.
‘We treat him seriously!’ the artists underline. That’s why in their Forefathers' Eve we hear Polish, Belarusian, Russian and Yiddish.
All these languages were present here. In addition, in Brest they expected that the Poles hadn't forgotten. There’s a feeling one needs to have a connection to Poland. For example, I was asked the question: why does Zosia speak so little in Pan Tadeusz? You know why? Because Zosia speaks historical Belarusian better than Polish and is ashamed. Forefathers' Eve in Belarus was something similar to Halka in Haiti.
– explained Passini in an interview with Agnieszka Sural for Culture.pl