Witkacy in Wrocław Puppet Theatres
Karol Suszczyński
The Aleksander Zelwerowicz National Academy of Dramatic Art in Warsaw (Poland)
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7669-0525
Abstract
Given the rich history of dramas by Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz in puppet theatre (27 productions since the Second World War), the author focuses on the shows put on in Wrocław. The first two productions using puppets as means of theatrical expression premiered, almost concurrently: one was put on by the Zespół Amatorski Klubu Oławka (Juwenilia, prem. Nov. 1966), while the other was prepared by Andrzej Dziedziul (Twój powszedni morderca [Your Everyday Murderer], prem. 1966), who introduced Witkacy’s dramaturgy into professional puppetry. His subsequent play, inspired by Witkacy’s juvenilia, the drama Kurka wodna (The Water Hen), and letters written by Stanisław Witkiewicz Senior to his son (Glątwa [The Hangover], prem. 2 March 1973) acquired international recognition. In the 1980s, the managing director of the Wrocławski Puppet Theatre, Wiesław Hejno, in collaboration with set designer Jadwiga Mydlarska-Kowal and composer Zbigniew Piotrowski, put on several outstanding puppet plays based Witkacy’s works: Gyubal Wahaza (prem. 13 March 1987), addressed to adult audiences, was admired for the visual qualities and novel construction of the puppets as well as for remarkable performances by the puppeteers, while Komedia dla mamy i taty [A Comedy for Mommy and Daddy] (prem. 7 Jan. 1996) was meant for children and regarded as one of the best of those rare puppet shows that Hejno put on for younger audiences. The author also describes The Wrocław Puppetry Department diploma performances: ONI [They] (prem. Juni 1992) by Hejno, , and Natrętny Książę. Seans dadaistyczno-surrealistyczny według Georges’a Ribemont-Dessaignes’a, Eugene Ionesco, Tristana Tzary i Stanisława Ignacego Witkiewicza [The Importunate Prince: A Dada and Surrealist Séance According to Georges Ribemont-Dessaignes, Eugene Ionesco, Tristan Tzara, and Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz] (prem. 10 Feb. 2000) by Aleksander Maksymiak. Based on photographs, articles, reviews and other publications appearing both in daily press and in thematic periodicals, the author describes the puppet shows and analyses them thoroughly, focusing on the puppet theatre repertory addressed to adult audiences, which is rare in puppet theatre studies.
Keywords:
Witkacy, puppet theater, theater history, Polish theater after 1945References
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Authors
Karol SuszczyńskiThe Aleksander Zelwerowicz National Academy of Dramatic Art in Warsaw Poland
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7669-0525
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Copyright (c) 2017 Karol Suszczyński
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