Following audiences’ enthusiastic reception to their story of gay football supporters, the most famous duo of theatrical adventurers – Monika Strzępka and Paweł Demirski – brought to the stage the problems of the Polish State Railways. The premiere of Firma / The Company was held at the Nowy Theatre in Poznań, and as expected, it was a politically sharp performance that seethed with emotion.
The idea for the play was born a few years ago – said Paweł Demirski. – In the magazine Z biegiem szyn, we read articles about the collapse of the Polish State Railways and its division between one hundred and eighty six share-holding companies.
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Back then, the playwright and director already knew that one day they would make a performance based on this story. The director of the Poznań stage, Piotr Kruszyński, who opened the door for Demirski and Strzępka in his theatre, rightly predicted that their production would be a brave critique of Polish reality. Strzępka pointed out that it's not about delays in the train timetables –
We gave ourselves liberty to reflect on what a conspiracy theory is. We realized that whatever subject we touched on – whether it was Polish State Railways, education or health care – in fact, there is no public sphere where there wouldn't be a scandal. We have, therefore, two suspicions: either this is all a giant conspiracy, or the people implementing key decisions do not really know what the consequences will be. We are interested in the circumstances under which we are able to give a bribe. Where is the real politics being done in Poland? What is a conspiracy theory really? – said Strzępka during a press conference.
The cast includes: Antonia Choroszy, Sława Kwaśniewska, Małgorzat Łodej-Stachowiak, Marta Szumieł and Radosław Elis.
Source: press materials, ed. AL, transl.G