Panel discussion "Body / Memory / History"

DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENT:

There is a common belief that spring 2020 has radically changed situation in all areas of human life (and not only). The time of verification has dawned. In case of theatre, dance and all other perfomative arts, it concerns the basic matter: a live meeting. In 1965, Jerzy Grotowski, in his famous speech “Towards a Poor Theatre“, recognized the direct encounter to be the core of the theatre. However, five years later he dropped it, leaving us with a myth of an encounter, in which we believe like in a dogma. 

Therefore, in the context of recent experiences, we want to ask: does theatre really require action and a live meeting? What is the core of this experience? Is it certain that the same cannot be done via technology? Why the online performance is not "true"? Can the "autopoietic feedback loop" work only in the situation of a living co-presence? Is online co-presence not live? Since for many years theatre has been, for many of us, work on ourselves, do you really need a spectator?

On the other hand: if theatre can exist online as a theatre and not a movie or a show, maybe the vital element of theatricality is not determined by liveliness but something more essential and more demanding. What?

This year's Retroperspektywy Festival dedicated initially to the subject of body, memory and history seems to be an ideal place to ask all these questions and try to answer without escaping into auto-illusion.

Polish and foreign guests will take part in the discussion: Olena Apchel (Ukraine), Mario Biagini (Italy), Anna Karasińska (Poland), Maria af Klintberg (Sewden), Dariusz Kosiński (Poland), Tomasz Majewski (Poland), Thomas Richards (Italy), Tomasz Rodowicz (Poland), Maciej Rożalski (Brasil), Richard Schechner (USA), Zofia Smolarska (Poland)

INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARTICIPANTS:

Olena Apczel - theater director, performer, screenwriter, curator of artistic projects. Graduated from the Department of Theatre, Film and Television Arts of the State Academy of Culture in Kharkiv in the field of Stage Direction (Bachelor's degree), and Theatre Art (Master's degree), at the same university she obtained the title of Doctor of History of Art, where she also lectured in 2010-2015. In 2008-2012 she directed and realized numerous theatre performances, including: "Przewoźnik" by Anna Jablońska (VI Festival of Non-Public Theaters "Kurbalesija" in Kharkiv, 2008, Art Critics Award), "My first man" by Jelena Isaeva (VII Festival Kurbalesija Private Theaters in Kharkiv, 2009, Best Direction). Co-creator of the performances (as co-director and actress) Ivan Vyrypaev's "Oxygen", Martin Mcdonagh's "Lonely West", Maksim Kurochkin's "Titij Nienaganny" at the Kotielok Theater in Kharkiv. In 2012-2014 she was the author of performances: "Open eyes", "People. 46", "Presence", "365", "Important On/Off", "Expiry date 28.04.2017", "Half empty/half full", "№ Me", realized ivy the School of Acting Art "Tirsto" founded and run by her in Kharkiv. In 2014-2015 as a part of the International Theatre Laboratory "iDramaturgiczny" - she was the creator of the "Desant" project, as part of the EEPAP (East European Performing Arts Platform). Author of the performance "Opositorium. Ścieżki/Skrzyżowania ", which was the result of researching the zones of tolerance of religious dialogue in contemporary society (Kharkiv, 2016). In 2016, together with director Artem Wusik, she founded an independent Very Well-known Theatre, where they jointly staged the plays "Hammer in the mouth" by Danil Charms and "Rodzinne". In 2016 she worked as a consultant for Mikita Valadzko's performance "Labyrinths: God-Honor-Emigration", directed by Zmicer Chartkou, at the Ludwik Solski Theatre in Tarnów. In 2017, with the support of the British Council, she staged the performance "Miners-Painters"  written by Lee Hall. In 2016 she co-created the Polish-Ukrainian performative project "Maps of fear/Maps of identity". In 2017-2019 she was the artistic director of the Lviv Academic Drama Theatre, where she directed Charles Dickens's "Christmas Carol" and a post-documentary performance "Horizon 200", where, in addition to directing, she was the author of the text and the stage designer. She is the Director of the Ukrainian Theatre and Art Festival "Theatre Weekend" in Lviv. In 2019 at the Wybrzeże Theatre in Gdańsk she directed the performance "Więzi" based on texts by J. Murawski and M. Bushewicz, based on personal diaries and testimonies. The performance received the award for the best director at the Pre-premieres Festival in Bydgoszcz Non/Present. In 2020 at the Golden Gate Theatre in Kiev she directed the play "Rodzina Patologówki Ludmiły" as part of a social study on discrimination in families. She is currently working on an exhibition "Territory of totalitarian regimes" at the Museum Pamięci in Lviv, and together with Sasha Bramajako she is the author and curator of a multimedia documentary project about the life of people in quarantine "Us / My", in which she examines the changes in human behavior and adaptation.

Mario Biagini - actor and director, a close associate of Jerzy Grotowski in the second half of the 1980s, considered - together with Thomas Richards - Grotowski’s official successor. He began collaborating with the Workcenter of Jerzy Grotowski in 1986, and soon became one of the most important figures in the group (in 1987 he became, on Grotowski’s recommendation, leader of one of the groups within the Workcenter). He belonged to the group of performers working on "Downstairs Action" and was one of the protagonists of "Action" - one of the most significant works of the Art as vehicle phase - which was prepared by Richards in collaboration with Grotowski ("Action" was performed and developed up until 2009, always together with Biagini). He also worked closely with Grotowski in preparing his Paris lectures and as a translator and editor of his texts. After Grotowski’s death, Biagini together with Thomas Richards led the Workcenter of Jerzy Grotowski and Thomas Richards in Pontedera. Beyond working on developing and presenting "Action", Biagini was also director of the project "The Bridge: Developing Theatre Arts" (1999-2006), the aim of which was to explore possibilities of enriching the theatre arts with experiences emerging from Art as vehicle. He directed and performed in "One Breath Left" and "Dies Irae: The Preposterous Theatrum Interioris Show, also creating a montage for the latter performance. Since 2007, he has directed the "Open Program" realised by the Workcenter and continuing the activities of "The Bridge" project. One outcome of this work is performances presented in the past few years and are still developing, which use the texts of Allen Ginsberg while linking various performance forms with actors’ internal work. These performances include "I Am America", "Electric Party Song", "Electric Party" and "Not History’s Bones - a Poetical Concert". At the same time, Mario Biagini is preparing further publications on the Workcenter’s activities (including its collaboration with Antonio Attisani) while also running various workshops himself. 

Anna Karasińska - a director, filmmaker, and playwright. Her first play, "Ewelina's Crying", was a sensation when it opened in Warsaw’s TR Warszawa Theater in 2015, playing to packed audiences and winning critical praise. It has been extended several times since it opened and won invitations to the Interpretacje Festival in Katowice and the Boska Komedia Festival in Kraków. Anna Karasińska was born in Łódź where she entered the School of Art while simultaneously studying philosophy at the University of Łódź. After graduating, she decided to continue studying at the National Film School where she completed the course in directing and made her thesis film: "Duties". After finishing her thesis film, she became interested in theatre. In 2015, she received an opportunity to make a project at TR Warszawa in the Teren TR Program, curated by Roman Pawłowski. This would develop into her breakout project "Evelina's Crying". The piece is deeply existential and filled with a longing to connect to one another: "I am fascinated by the idea that there really is no hard reality. Especially when it comes to the self. That is why I use nonsense so much in my work. I am also extremely interested in the situation of meeting that can happen in the live moment of theatre. I want to meet the audience and the performers in real time." In 2016 in Poznań’s Polski Theatre, Anna Karasińska directed "Drugi Spektakl" ("The Second Performance"), a play which commented on the customs of the theatre-going audience. "Drugi Spektakl" was awarded for its originality and uncompromising take on theatre at the 7th Koszalińskie Konfrontacje Młodych Festival. Karasińska returned to Rozmaitości Theatre with the play "Fantazja", which once again revolved around theatre as a medium, problematising acting techniques and the actor’s role in theatre production. She continued exploring these themes in the play "Wszystko Zmyślone" ("Everything’s Made-up"). It was the first of Karasińska’s plays to premiere in Stary Theatre in Kraków. In March 2018 the artist presented the play "2118: Anna Karasińska", which was the first part of a futuristic triptych curated by Tomasz Plata. In December 2016 the director participated in the debate "Ojcobójczynie", together with Katarzyna Kalwat, Magda Szpecht, Weronika Szczawińska, and Anna Smolar. The debate was hosted by Piotr Gruszczyński and facilitated by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute at the d’Automne à Paris festival. In September 2018 at the Plac Małachowskiego 3 exhibition, the artist directed a performative tour through Zachęta art gallery. During this project, Karasińska used theatrical devices to create visual works of art. In 2018 the artist was nominated for a Polityka award. Dariusz Kosiński explained: "Karasińska, in a seemingly superficial form, undertakes a serious reflection about people as characters in world theatre."

Maria af Klintberg - was born in Sweden, in a family of strong tradition of folk music and dances. She started working with her father at age of 7 as a clown alongside of him, in TV shows and performances. Her big passion growing up was dancing and she studied many styles since a young age. After graduating from classic studies in gymnasium she pursued her dance dream and was enrolled as work-study at Movement research in NY. Returning to Stockholm she was accepted to the choreography program at the University College of Dance which she attended for two years. For the past  several years she have been a core member of Teater Sláva performing, teaching and directing with the group. For the past 12 years she has been on the Artistic Council and for 7 years she has been Producing Artistic Director. She still performs both with Sláva and her father. Teater Sláva is a physical theatre company from Sweden. The group is based on a body-voice-ensemble practice. They teach and perform  for people in all ages, since early 90´s. 16 years back Teater Sláva got their own venue in Tonsalen, on the south of Stockholm.

Dariusz Kosiński - a Professor at the Performance Studies Department of the Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland. He researched the theory and history of 19th century acting. He also interprets drama. Together with Ireneusz Guszpit, Kosiński has prepared collected editions of Juliusz Osterwa’s theatre writings, including "Przez teatr - poza teatr" ("Through Theatre - Beyond Theatre", 2004) and "Antygona, Hamlet, Tobiasz..." ("Antigone, Hamlet, Tobias...", 2007). His research is primarily focused on the distinctiveness of Polish theatre and performance tradition. Kosiński's main publications in the field include: "Polski teatr przemiany" ("Polish Theatre of Transformation", 2007) and an alternative history of Polish theatre and performance called "Teatra polskie. Historie" ("Polish Theatres: Histories", 2010, recognised with Reverend Professor Tischner’s Hestia Sign award in 2011 and the Giedroyc Academic Award in 2012; a German translation was published in 2012, a Chinese one in 2016, Russian and English translations are in progress). His latest publications include a book on contemporary social dramas and performances, including those unfolding after the crash of the Polish presidential plane in Smoleńsk - "Teatra polskie. Rok katastrofy" ("Polish Theatres: The Year of the Disaster", 2013).
Equally importantly, he is interested in Jerzy Grotowski’s work and ideas. He published a general introduction to Grotowski’s work, entitled "Grotowski. Przewodnik" ("Grotowski: A Guidebook", 2009), and a monograph on Grotowski’s three performances from the early 1960s, "Grotowski. Profanacje" ("Grotowski: Profanations", 2015). From 2010 to 2013, he was Research Director of the Grotowski Institute, Wrocław. He was a member of the editorial team of Jerzy Grotowski’s collected texts, published in Polish in 2012. 
At the Performance Studies Department of the Jagiellonian University, he investigates performance, whose fundamentals and purposes he introduced in the book "Performatyka. W(y)prowadzenia" ("Performance Studies: Introductions/Outroductions", 2016). He was appointed the deputy director of the Zbigniew Raszewski Theatre Institute in April 2014 and the chair of the Artistic Board of the Living Classics Competition for Productions of Polish Old Literature in 2015.

Tomasz Majewski - culture and film expert, associated with the Department of Literary Anthropology and Cultural Studies at the Jagiellonian University. He lectures on the history of animated film at the Film School in Lodz and on the history of culture at the University of Lodz. Between 2010 and 2011, he was the curator of the film projects ”Zobaczyć Gorgonę" / "Setting Eyes on the Gorgon", "Born to Kvech" and "Max i Marcel Ophuls" / ”Max and Marcel Ophuls” at the Festival of Dialogue of Four Cultures. Winner of the ”Literatura na świecie" award (Literature in the World) in the "New Voice" category for 2011, nominated for Jan Długosz awards. He constantly cooperates with Muzeum Sztuki (Museum of Art) in Lodz, Centralny Gabinet Edukacji Filmowej (the Central Cabinet of Film Education), and The Marek Edelman Dialogue Center. Since 2013 he has been the vice-president of Polskie Towarzystwo Kulturoznawcze (Polish Cultural Association).

Thomas Richards - American performer, actor, director. Son of the director Lloyd Richards. During his studies at Yale, where he was awarded his bachelor degree, he encountered Ryszard Cieślak, while in summer 1984 he was among a group of students who participated in workshops lasting several days, as part of the "Objective Drama" project. In 1985 he became a member of its reconfigured executive group and worked with Grotowski on "Main Action". Subsequently, in 1986, he moved together with Grotowski to Italy and in a relatively short time came to be considered his essential collaborator. Initially Grotowski and Richards’ work had an individual character connected to the performative structures bearing the working title "Song Action" (this structure later became a central element of "Downstairs Action") and "Pool Action". This action took the form of a "transmission" and was connected to the decision taken at the time to make Richards the leader of the group and then Grotowski’s successor and artistic heir. A particular kind of relationship developed between the artists, one that might be described as a relationship between an experienced master transmitting his knowledge to an exceptionally talented student. Gradually Richards took on the role of the leader of the group working on "Downstairs Action", in which he was also the main doer. The results of this work brought about the crystallisation of Action and the creation of "Action", of which Richards was the main creator. Recognising his key role in the Workcenter’s activities, Grotowski changed its name in 1996 to Workcenter of Jerzy Grotowski and Thomas Richards. Following Grotowski’s death in 1999, Richards took over as director of the Workcenter of Jerzy Grotowski and Thomas Richards and together with Mario Biagini he is considered Grotowski’s universal heir. In the following years he continued the activities in the field of Art as Vehicle, developing and gradually structuring the action "The Letter" (presented between 2003 and 2006 as a "Work in Progress" titled "The Twins: Action in creation" and "Action in creation"). Together with Mario Biagini he directed the performances "One Breath Left" (1998-2002) and "Dies Irae" (2004–2006). Since 2008 he has directed the work of the Focused Research Team in Art as Vehicle on the performative structure "Living Room", which is a further exploration in the field of Art as Vehicle (locating this form of activity in the domestic sphere and domestic space). Alongside his practical work, Richard also develops academic theorisation on the experiments he is conducting. He was awarded a Master’s degree from the University of Bologna and a Doctorate from the Université Paris. He is the author of "At Work with Grotowski on Physical Actions" (1993), "The Edge-Point of Performance" (with Lisa Wolford, 1997) and "Heart of Practice: Within the Workcenter of Jerzy Grotowski and Thomas Richards" (2008).

Tomasz Rodowicz - Artistic Director of CHOREA Theatre. Theatre director, actor, musician, educator, theatre instructor, university lecturer, earlier also a historian of philosophy. Born in 1951 in Warsaw. Graduate of the Faculty of History of Philosophy at the Warsaw Theological Academy. Co-founder of Poland’s first social therapy centre for young drug addicts. He collaborated with Jerzy Grotowski in 1974-1979. Co-founder of the Centre for Theatre Practices 'Gardzienice' and its member in 1977-2003. Co-founder of CHOREA Theatre and its leader since 2004. Artistic director of Fabryka Sztuki in Lodz since 2007. Artistic director of International Theatre Festival Retroperspektywy and Nationwide Theatre Festival Perspektywy. Leader of many international artistic, educational and didactic projects and research expeditions. Innovative musical and physical training expert and theatre workshop specialist. Worldwide authority in leading workshops for actors, dancers, singers, musicians, theatre instructors and culture animators. Author of a handbook 'Actors phisical training. From individual to group actions'.

Maciej Rożalski - is an anthropologist and artist in the field of performing arts. In his research perspective focuses on performing studies, theater anthropology and a decolonial perspective. He obtained a doctorate in anthropology and theory of art at the Institute of Art of the Polish Academy of Sciences (2010). Actually he holds the position of assistant professor at the Brazilian university CECULT UFRB (Centro de Cultura, Linguagens e Tecnologias Aplicadas) in area of performing arts. In the years 2012-2013 he received a scholarship from the Polish Minister of Science and Higher Education for researches in Brazilian Salvador, which he carried out in cooperation with POSAFRO (Multi-disciplinary postgraduate studies in higher education). In the years 2005-2012 he was an editor and author of texts for the anthropological quarterly "Konteksty". In the years 2003-2007 he studied and cooperated with The European Centre for Theatre Practices Gardzienice, one of the most recognizable centers of physical theater in Europe.
In an artistic perspective, Maciej Rozalski focuses on body expression, body and voice relations, and the actor's stage presence. He discusses these issues primarily in relation to the technique of contemporary dance developed by the dancer and actor Augusto Omol, as well as the methods of expression and dramaturgy of the body, developed by the Brazilian group of physical theatre Lume.

Richard Schechner - one of the founders of Performance Studies, is a performance theorist, theater director, author, editor of "TDR" and the "Enactments" book series. University Professor, and Professor of Performance Studies. Schechner combines his work in performance theory with innovative approaches to the broad spectrum of performance including theatre, play, ritual, dance, music, popular entertainments, sports, politics, performance in everyday life, etc. in order to understand performative behavior not just as an object of study, but also as an active artistic-intellectual practice. He founded The Performance Group and East Coast Artists. His theatre productions include: "Dionysus in 69", "Commune", "The Tooth of Crime", "Mother Courage and Her Children", "The Marilyn Project", "Seneca’s Oedipus", "Faust/Gastronome", "Three Sisters", "Hamlet", "The Oresteia", "YokastaS", "Swimming to Spalding" and "Imagining O". His books include: "Public Domain", "Environmental Theater", "Performance Theory", "The Future of Ritual", "Between Theater and Anthropology", "Performance Studies: An Introduction", and "Performed Imaginaries". As of 2018, his books have been translated into 18 languages. His theatre work has been seen in Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America. He has directed performance workshops and lectured on every continent except Antarctica. He has been awarded numerous fellowships including Guggenheim, NEH, ACLS, and fellowships at Dartmouth, Cornell, Yale, Princeton, and the Central School of Speech and Drama, London.

Zofia Smolarska - is a Research and Teaching Assistant at the National Academy of Dramatic Art in Warsaw, Poland. She is a member of the editorial board of the ‘Polish Theatre Journal’ and a Vice-president of the Polish Society for Theatre Research. In 2019 she was a Young Fellow at the Institute for Humane Sciences in Vienna. The participatory aspect of the creative and production processes is among her main interests, practical as well as research. As a dramaturge and director’s assistant she had collaborated with Edit Kaldor and the Berlin-based collective Rimini Protokoll, which she later described in her book ‘Rimini Protokoll. Blind Alleys of Participatory Theatre’ (Warsaw 2017). She has recently submitted her Ph.D. thesis ‘Ecologies of Theatre. Relational Analysis of the Publicly Funded Theatres from the Theatre Craftsmen’s Perspective’.