Although the title playfully alludes to Christmas, its message is universal.

Merry Crisis – A Polish Christmas Story tells the story of a family gathering on Christmas Eve. The evening begins just as it has for generations in many Polish homes: a white tablecloth on the table, a Christmas tree, holy images on the walls, and — of course — the whole family together.

We observe a small community trying every day to maintain a fragile balance and prevent division. How much effort this truly takes — the audience will see for themselves.

It is a story so common that it almost feels as if it never really happened.

In this work, the students of the AST National Academy of Theatre Arts seek to portray the family not as a source of conflict, but as a group of seemingly ordinary people bound by everyday life, dreams, and quiet longings. Alongside humor and lightness, there is also reflection, tenderness, and hope — all intertwined into a portrait of a world both familiar and ambiguous.

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A musical performance by 5th-year students of the Acting Department.

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Photo: Weronika Kowalska