| Theatre Cinema: The Humanities Laboratory |
|
A series of documentary screenings to mark the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Centre for Study of Jerzy Grotowski’s Work and for Cultural and Theatrical Research Thu 4 June 2015, 19:00 Sat 20 June 2015, 18:00 Cinema Room Admission free Thu 4 June 2015, 19:00 Cyrograf nie podpisany... czyli Ludwik Flaszen i jego wêdrówki (Unsigned Pact with the Devil, or Ludwik Flaszen and His Journeys) Screening of El¿bieta Sitek’s documentary to mark the 85th birthday of Ludwik Flaszen In Polish with English subtitles Documentary; written and directed by El¿bieta Sitek; photography by Piotr Sêdzikowski; sound by Zbigniew Monkiewicz, Tadeusz Pelc and Ryszard Szwaj; edited by Aleksander Stefañski; produced by TVP Wroc³aw, 1997; running time: 64’ [...] The filmmakers follow Ludwik Flaszen as he directs the staging of Dostoyevsky’s Demons in Kraków’s Stary Teatr. He is a guest here. In 1984 he left for the West, and since then has been based in Paris, where he works with an international, multicultural group of young actors. His decades-long wonderings across the world through different places, professions and destinies do not bother him. A small room in a hotel or someone’s flat, and a bookshelf with a few books on it, is enough to make him feel at home. Ludwik Flaszen’s reminiscences are intertcut with interviews with his friends and collaborators; scenes shot in contemporary Kraków and Paris are woven together with footage of Flaszen’s work as director. The screening is one of the events marking the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Centre for Study of Jerzy Grotowski’s Work and for Theatrical and Cultural Research.  Ludwik Flaszen was a witness and participant in a great era of theatre. He co-founded the Laboratory Theatre, was its co-creator throughout the theatre’s life (1959–1984), and its head director in the 1980s. A critic, writer, Grotowski’s long-time partner in a creative dialogue, he himself became a theatre practitioner, leading paratheatrical actions and acting workshops in many countries. His first book, G³owa i mur (The Head and the Wall, 1958), was confiscated by the communist regime’s censors. He is also the author of Cyrograf (A Pact with the Devil), a collection of essays and short prose on the fate of the individual in a totalitarian society (first edition, 1971; latest edition, 1996, Kraków; French version, 1990, Paris), and a tome of sketches on theatre entitled Teatr skazany na magiê (A Theatre Sentenced to Practise Magic; Kraków, 1983) containing texts and lectures about his collaboration with Grotowski and his contribution in establishing the creative doctrine of the Laboratory Theatre. In 2010 his book Grotowski & Company came out. Since then, it has been translated and published in Italian (2013), Polish (2014) and Portuguese (2015, in Brazil), and is being translated into French and Spanish. The University of Turin awarded Ludwik Flaszen an honorary doctorate for his artistic and academic work. Since 1984, following the dissolution of the Laboratory Theatre, he has lived in Paris. Sat 20 June 2015, 18:00 The Humanities Laboratory A series of screenings of documentaries and television programmes produced by TVP Wroc³aw, documenting the work of the Laboratory Theatre and the activities of the Centre for Study of Jerzy Grotowski’s Work and for Cultural and Theatrical Research In Polish 18:00 Teatr i nie-teatr (Theatre and non-theatre) Documentary, written and directed by El¿bieta Sitek and Jaros³aw Szymkiewicz; collaborators Barbara Konstantin, Krzysztof Jaworski, Stanis³aw Kubiak, Tadeusz Owsianko, Jan Peltz, Jerzy Pyrkosz, Erazm Stawiñski, Janusz Stachowicz and Maciej Suszyñski; produced by Telewizja Polska Wroc³aw, 1975; running time: 32’ The documentary revolves around the events of the University of Research of the Theatre of Nations, held in Wroc³aw between 14 June and 7 July 1975 at the initiative of Jerzy Grotowski.  18:45 Wierny sobie (Faithful to oneself) Television programme by El¿bieta Sitek, Marek Mulica, El¿bieta £ubiñska, Mariusz Prasa³ and Katarzyna Koz³owska; produced by TVP Wroc³aw, 1999; running time: 22’ Byæ w zgodzie ze sob± (In harmony with oneself) Television programme by El¿bieta Sitek, El¿bieta £ubiñska, Mariusz Prasa³, Katarzyna Koz³owska and Aleksander Stefañski; produced by TVP Wroc³aw, 1999; running time: 26’ Two multifaceted portrayals of the founder of the Laboratory Theatre, including footage of Jerzy Grotowski receiving his honorary degree at the University of Wroc³aw. 19:45 Wokó³ Akcji Grotowskiego i Richardsa (Around Grotowski’s and Richard’s Action) Documentary, written and directed by El¿bieta Sitek; cinematography by Maciej Wielowieyski, Jacek ¯ukowski and Jan Peltz; edited by Aleksander Stefañski; produced by TVP Wroc³aw, 1997; running time: 25’ Jerzy Grotowski and Thomas Richards presented the performative opus Action, an embodiment of the idea of Art as Vehicle, between 18 February and 4 March 1997 in Wroc³aw.  20:15 Poszukiwanie Innego. Peter Brook we Wroc³awiu (In search of the other: Peter Brook in Wroc³aw) Television programme by Irena Groblewska, Boles³aw Rok, El¿bieta Sitek, Jerzy Kapu¶ciñski and Andrzej Paw³owski; cinematography by Andrzej Gier; edited by S³awomir Filip; TVP Wroc³aw, 1991; running time: 35’ Peter Brook came to Wroc³aw on 11 December 1991 in connection with the promotion of Peter Demianovich Ouspensky’s book Fragmenty nieznanego nauczania (original title: Fragments of an Unknown Teaching). The book presents the teachings of George Gurdjieff, who has been an inspiration for Brook’s research. Spotkania z niezwyk³ym cz³owiekiem. Peter Brook we Wroc³awiu (Meetings with Remarkable Men. Peter Brook in Wroc³aw) Television programme, written and directed by El¿bieta Sitek; cinematography by Piotr Sêdzikowski; edited by Aleksander Stefañski; sound by Jacek Krystek and Bartosz Kieres; TVP Wroc³aw, 2002; running time: 28’ A conversation with Peter Brook held in 2002 when the director was in Wroc³aw with The Suit.  20:30 ISTA. Szko³a Theatrum Mundi (ISTA. The School of Theatrum Mundi) Documentary, written and directed by El¿bieta Sitek; cinematography by Wojciech Chabin; sound by El¿bieta Czekaj; edited by Jerzy Szota; TVP Wroc³aw, 2005; running time: 25’ A documentary about the 14th session of ISTA (International School of Theatre Anthropology) held in Wroc³aw and Krzy¿owa from 1 to 15 April 2005.  Screenings courtesy of TVP Wroc³aw  |