In Łaźnia Nowa, in the shop window of the National Old Theatre and in the TVP Studio in Łęg, a neon sign featuring the image of the Divine Comedian is already shining. A similar one adorns the Festival Club at Bunkier Cafe and many other festival stages.

At the Festival Center in Bunkier Sztuki, you can buy tickets, take part in debates, buy beautiful catalogs and maps with discounts to many festival places or drink delicious coffee served by Grange Coffee. Boska's team is waiting every day from 11 am. to 6 pm. and then everyone goes to the theater. Every viewer will be welcomed.

The first day is behind us

There were five performances that took place on the festival stages on Friday. At the Academy of Theatre Arts on the Jerzy Trela Stage, two showings of „Fortissimo”, directed by Marcin Liber, were held. At the National Old Theatre on the main stage was presented they play called „Mothers. A song for wartime” by Marta Górnicka. Before and after the performance, Andrzej Stasiuk  together with Monika Sznajderman and volunteers, organized a collection for Ukraine and the unit in which the Ukrainian writer Serhij Zhadan serves. In the evening, The Wedding, directed by Maja Kleczewska  was performed at the Juliusz Słowacki Theatre  and Phobia, directed by Markus Öhrn and Karol Radziszewski, was performed on the main stage at the Łaźnia Nowa Theatre."

A great start to the festiwal

What images remain after the first day of the festival? Here's a subjective selection: it's impossible to see all the performances unless someone luckily got the gift of bilocation: The program is very dense, so you have to choose some leading path. The images that stuck in my head are: a long standing ovation after the performance of „The Wedding”, several powerful scenes from the play itself, including images of straw piles burning in meadows and deserted city streets, fire and smoke evoking anxiety, like on paintings of Karol Palczak. And the words, as actual as if Wyspiański was alive today and wrote his play today and not over one hundred and twenty years ago. Certainly, the words and images from the performance „Mothers. A Song for a Time of War” also stay longer. A statement by Serhiy Zhadan displayed on the wall: 'Today, look only for words that save lives.' The rhythm of dance and chanting. Sometimes one could get the impression that we are witnessing a women's haka - a dance of protest against war and war rapes, a dance against enemies and finally a dance that allows us to release anger, gain strength, and see that we are not alone.

What to do during the breaks between performances? Here is a suggestion

Four outside the festiwal, artistic recommendations: from December 7 (Saturday) a new exhibition at MuFo Rakowicka; one hundred photographic collages by Zofia Rydet, one of the most outstanding Polish photographers. In the new location of UFO Gallery (Podwale 6), there is an exhibition of very interesting, feminist-influenced works by Finnish artist Jósefina Alanko, Blue Moth. "In the Czapski Pavilion, there is a presentation of the paintings of the Capists. Last but not least, once you've visited Bunkier Sztuki, make sure to check out their new exhibitions, including works by the artistic group (associated with theatrical and performative activities) Stacja.Pi.Stacja. For everyone who has any ticket or id card, admission to Bunkier exhibitions costs only 10 złoty.

We would like to remind you: the 17th edition of the festival is held under the slogan "You Are So Fucking Special", inspired by the song by Radiohead. Director of the festiwal Bartosz Szydłowski emphasized that the slogan manifests acceptance and affirmation of diversity. Throughout 10 days of festival ,more than twenty performances can be seen, with over a hundred creators from all over Poland arriving; the best directors, actors, and actresses. In the festival’s press center of Bunkier Sztuki Gallery, debates dedicated to the performing arts will take place. The performances selected for the Inferno competition will be evaluated by an international jury. The jury list includs: Snježana Abramović Milković from Croatia, Francesc Casadesús and Calvó from Spain, Thobile Maphanga from South Africa, Giacomo Pedini from Italy and Deepan Sivaraman from India. The creators of which of the eleven performances will receive the statue of the Divine Comedian? The verdict will be announced on December 14th. The day before the festival ends

Grzegorz Nurek

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Photo by Klaudyna Schubert