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Instytut im. Jerzego Grotowskiego
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The Laboratory Theatre
Apart from the main repertory line, other stage programmes were realised as well. The first of these was Kabaret Blazeja Sartra [Blaise Sartre’s Cabaret] based on a text by Adam Kurczyna, with songs by Antoni Jaholkowski and directed by Zygmunt Molik (15th May, 1960); subsequently, the [Laboratory] Theatre Platform 'of the 13 Rows' was initiated, which – depending on the content of a given programme – was entitled the 'Feature Platform', 'Documentary Platform' or 'Poetic Platform'; most often the programmes consisted of small dramatic actions, and of fragments of archival films and audio documentary recordings. The Platform produced six subsequent programmes: Turysci [The Tourists] (1/61) and Gliniane golebie [Clay Pigeons] (2/61) – which were always performed in tandem, and were put together by Jerzy Grotowski (premiered 31st March, 1961) – Pamietnik Slaski [A Silesian Memoir] (3/61), produced by Jerzy Falkowski and directed by Zygmunt Molik (9th July, 1961), Oratorium robotnicze [A Workers’ Oratory] (4/62), adapted for the stage and directed by Waldemar Krygier (27th February, 1962), Maski [Masks] (5/63), realised by Ryszard Cieslak (3rd January, 1963); and Piesni [Songs] (6/64), script and realisation by Andrzej Bielski (30th April, 1964). Additionally, the actors of the theatre often featured in Opole radio performances and collaborated closely with the amateur film club 'Kreciolek' in Opole.

In April 1964, the theatr's subsidies were reduced by the Presidium of the Opole People's Provincial Council, which made it impossible for the theatre to function in Opole. In the summer of that year, Professor Boleslaw Iwaszkiewicz – the head of the Presidium of the Wroclaw People's Council – offered the Laboratory Theatre a permanent space in Wroclaw. The group left Opole and began work in Wroclaw on 1st January, 1965.

In terms of organisation and budget the company was still not an independent institution, having been affiliated with the Society for the City of Wroclaw (which resulted, among other things, in common accounting). For administrative needs the theatre acquired a small space on the third floor and a basement in a building in the Rynek (old market square) and for its theatre space, one of the rooms of the Centre of Culture and Art (also in the Rynek). Jedrzej Sell, a law graduate, became administrative director. It was thanks to his efforts that the theatre obtained spaces from the Wroclaw Photographical Association on the ground floor, where the reception, Jerzy Grotowski’s office, the accountant’s office and a technical maintenance and storage room were located. Today these spaces are occupied by the Archive. Later, additional, larger rooms were acquired from a mineral water producer, and these were earmarked for rehearsal space, where the stagiares worked and lived (currently the Cinema Room, director’ office and other offices). Finally, the spaces of a former nickel company were acquired and then adapted to house the front office, according to Stanislaw Lose's design, along with the rooms on the first floor, which contained the rehearsal space and reception desk for The Mountain Project (1977) – currently the Reading Room. The administrative team of the theatre was a small one, consisting of: administrative director Jedrzej Sell, chief accountant Olga Piech, administrative assistant Stefania Gardecka, and technical staff – Czes³aw Szarek, Tadeusz Mryc and Jan D±browski.

The Laboratory Theatre changed its statutory name on a further two occasions: in 1965 – from the 'Laboratory-Theatre of the 13 Rows' to the 'Institute for Studies of Acting Method – Laboratory Theatre'; and in 1970 – to the 'Actor’s Institute – Laboratory Theatre'. In the mid-1970s, Grotowski proposed another change of name, to 'Laboratory Institute', deliberately eliminating the words 'actor' and 'theatre', however, this alteration was never formally completed.

The activities of the Laboratory Theatre after moving to Wroclaw can be divided into two periods, which are conventionally referred to as 'theatrical' and 'post-theatrical'.

The Constant PrinceIn the former period, shortly after settling in Wroclaw, the performance of  Akropolis was resumed, in its fourth version (which retained the cast of the third). Soon after, the first Wroclaw premiere of The Constant Prince, after Calderon-Slowacki (version one: 25th April, 1965) took place, although the performance itself had been created in Opole. The second version of this performance, which premiered on 14th November, 1965, played throughout 1966. The following year, on 20th March, the only 'open rehearsal' for The Gospels took place – which was, in fact, the first incarnation of Apocalypsis cum figuris – as well as the fifth and  final version of Akropolis. On 19th March, 1968, the third and final version of The Constant Prince entered the repertory, and on 19th July, there was a 'closed premiere' of Apocalypsis cum figuris. This performance, the official premiere of which took place on 11th February, 1969, proceeded through two further variations and went down in history as the last theatrical work of Jerzy Grotowski.