theatres of europe
GDANSK SHAKESPEARE THE ATRE
THE
The Gdańsk Fencing School, Peter Willer’s print dated ca. 1650
The history and idea The Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre is the only one of its kind in continental Europe. The origins of the building go back to the beginning of the 17th century and to the first public theatre in Poland, the Gdańsk Fencing School, where professional English actors frequently performed and staged William Shakespeare’s plays even during his lifetime – often just a year or two after they were first performed in London.
The idea of reconstructing the Elizabethan theatre in Gdańsk was born at the beginning of the 1990’s under the patronage of HRH The Prince of Wales. The contemporary design created by Professor Renato Rizzi constitutes a real revolution in historical reconstructions – it enters into a dialogue with the past, while anticipating the future with its new technologies.
Theatre features This uncommon theatre building will undoubtedly fulfil, and even exceed, the expectations of contemporary theatre artists. The architect, Renato Rizzi, enclosed the wooden interior of the Elizabethan theatre, with three levels of galleries for the audience, inside a brick construction equipped with unique and the most modern theatre technology.
opening roof that allows the staging of plays in daylight or under a starlit sky. It is equipped with several variant stages, an adaptable auditorium and a fly-tower. This allows the construction of three different stages: a classical Italian proscenium arch stage, an Elizabethan thrust stage and a central “theatre-in-the-round”. These facilities assure independence and freedom to arrange the space depending on the character of the play or show.
The GST central stage arrangement, photo by Dawid Linkowski
The design of the Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre includes an
The Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre The Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre is a cultural institution which conducts a wide range of activities. It is a modern art centre, open not only to theatre, dance, festivals, concerts, exhibitions and educational projects, but also to conferences and workshops.
The mission of the theatre is to present new trends in per-
Artistic programme includes presentations of leading Polish theatres and outstanding artistic events from European countries (week long festivals presenting culture of selected country) also Music Programme is being intensively developed. GST is a coorganiser of the Gdansk Shakespeare Festival, an international annual event founded in 1997 which combines performances’ presentations, workshops with theatre creators and an exchange platform for professionals in the field of culture.
The Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre building, photo by Rafał Malko
forming arts as well as visual arts and music. The purpose is not only to provide artistic events for citizens of Gdańsk and tourists, but also to enhance the role of culture in the educational process and to prepare the young for active participation in cultural life.
The Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre – bird eye view of the theatre model by General Designer Arch. Renato Rizzi; Pro.Tec.O, Pool Engineering
The outer yard
The walkway
The administrative section
The fly-tower
The opening roof
The Elizabethan stage, The wooden galleries for spectators
The inner yard
The entrance hall
THEATRES OF EUROPE
Hamlet Machine, Tmuna Theatre, Israel, directed by Nara Zuckerman, photo by Dawid Linkowski
Lady with a Dog, directed by Levan Tsuladze, Kote Marjanishvili State Drama Theatre, Georgia
The “Theatres of Europe” festival series, under the patronage of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland, aims to introduce theatre and art from every European country. Thus, we have been “travelling” across the continent to select high quality artistic events and cooperation partners. We have organised ‘one-week-encounters’ with performing and visual arts, stylistically different theatre productions, contemporary dance, visual/ performance, art projects, artistic happenings, concerts of classical and contemporary music along with presentations of films and exhibitions of major artists. The “Theatres of Europe” series is also enhanced by meetings with the artists and writers involved and by discussion sessions with the directors and actors. ▪▪ So far the following events were presented: ▪▪ The British Week (September 2014), ▪▪ The Flanders Week (March 2015), ▪▪ The Romanian Week (May/June 2015), ▪▪ The Georgian Week (October 2015), ▪▪ The German Week (October 2016), ▪▪ The Ukrainian Week (November 2016).
Moreover, in 2017 the Portuguese, Israeli and Lithuanian weeks are planned.
THE BRITISH WEEK
Hamlet, directed by Dominic Dromgoole, The Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, Photo by Bronwen Sharp
The Grand Opening of the Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre took place on 19 September 2015, followed by the launch of the theatre’s first season marked by the British Week. The opening performance was the Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre’s iconic Hamlet directed by Dominic Dromgoole and Bill Buckhurst. The presentation was a part of the world-tour of this performance, which was shown in approximately 197 countries within two years.
One of the actresses of the Globe team Jennifer Leong, remembers: “We arrived in Poland for the opening ceremony of the beautiful Gdansk Shakespeare Theatre, with the honour of our Hamlet as the inaugural performance. I felt incredibly privileged that the Globe company were invited, celebrating the fact that Shakespearean actors from London first set foot on these shores over 400 years ago, uttering the same lines.”
The British Week theatre presentations also included the incredible Missing directed by Amit Lahav filled with lavish and exciting visual effects, performed by the Gecko physical dance theatre. There was also a suprising, dynamic and witty one-man show by Tim Crouch entitled I, Malvolio.
Moreover a performance of Wybrzeże Theatre was also included in the programme of the British Week due to its theme. Mary Stuart directed by Adam Nalepa was an impressive production with two leading characters (Queen Elizabeth I and Mary Stuart) played by outstanding Polish actresses Dorota Kolak and Katarzyna Figura.
ing not only Britain’s most outstanding theatrical plays but also a review of the country’s films, including: The King’s Speech, Locke, Broken, Vera Drake, The Angel’s Share or The Iron Lady. Moreover, there was a concert of Emika – a British DJ and singer – with a support of visual artists Monsieur Zupika, Yacine Sebti and Kee Zoo, as well as an exhibition presenting Gdańsk and London, two thriving cities of the Shakespearean era.
The British Week also vibrated with numerous events such as happenings, theatrical and artistic workshops, discussions and meetings with artists.
MIssing, directed by Amit Lahar, Gecko Theatre Company, photo by Greg Goodale
The British Week was a real celebration of art and culture, featur-
THE FLANDERS WEEK
The relationship between Poland and Flanders has a long history that dates back to the late Middle Ages. Gdańsk was a Hanseatic city, which, like cities such as Ghent and Mechelen, experienced an economic boom as its economy prospered. During the 1st half of the 17th C Gdańsk built its own theatre, the Fencing School, designed by Jacob Van den Blocke of the famous family of architects and artists from Mechelen.
The Flanders Week in Gdańsk, organized in March 2015 by the Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre in co-operation with the City of Gdańsk, Ghent and Mechelen, Flanders State of the Art and a number of cultural institutions, called upon the rich traditions of relations between Gdańsk, Ghent and Mechelen and initiated new ways of cooperation in the fields of culture, business, ecology and academic research.
Performances During the Flanders Week in Gdańsk, three different theatrical shows were presented, each created by a famous Flemish director: Jan Fabre (Troubleyn), Peter Verhelst (NTGent) and Luk Perceval (NTGent and Thalia Theater Hamburg).
the director on the basis of authentic experiences as an actor, who then portrayed the role by ‘playing himself ’. Drugs kept me alive is a monologue about a survivor. A man who explores all the escape routes, so he always remains one step ahead of the threatening scythe of death. It was written by Jan Fabre for the performer Anthony Rizzi, with whom Fabre has collaborated for over twenty years. Africa combines the artistic ways of the famous Flemish writer and director Peter Verhelst with the actor and owner of plantations in Africa, Oscar Van Rompay. It is a piece about incomprehensible place full of exoticism, colours and smells, music, violence and natural beauty. About the desire of a white man to fuse with Africa.
Front, directed by Luk Perceval, NT Gent & Thalia Theater, Belgium/Germany, photo: David Linkowski
The first two are autobiographical monodramas written by
Luk Perceval’s Front was the closing performance of the Week. Perceval, one of the greatest of contemporary directors, based the play on the novel by Erich Maria Remarque All Quiet on the Western Front and on Henry Barbusse’s Fire. The theatre of Ghent (NTGent) and the actors of the Hamburg Thalia Theatre presented a performance with a semi-documentary character in which an impression was given of the soldiers on both sides of the front during the First World War. Front is also a story about the stigma that the war left on the lives of ordinary people, depriving them of the experience of the unity of language and community in contemporary Europe.
Concerts & other activities The Flanders Week programme also included a strong representation of world music, showing the cultural richness of the whole Flanders Region, inhabited by people of more than 160 different nationalities. A virtuoso of qanun, Osama Abdulrasol, who originates from Israel, performed with his musical quartet, accompanying the outstanding Belgian soprano Helena Schoeters.
The musicians of Zefiro Torna, Amorroma and Traces took us to Qatari times with their Les Tissenards concert.
Osama Abdurasol Quartet feat. Helena Schoeters, photo by Dawid Linkowski
Music programme also included: internationally renowned Frank Vaganee Trio; the Polish Baltic Philharmonic Orchestra ‘Frederic Chopin’, conducted by a Flemish conductor, Herman Engels; Concerto for Harp and Orchestra by Wouter Lenaerts, with the famous Flemish harpist Anneleen Lenaerts, Dance Miniatures by Janusz Bielecki and a carillon concert performed by Anna Kasprzycka, the first Polish graduate of the Royal Carillon School Jef Denyn in Mechelen, Belgium.
Other activities combined exhibitions and seminars, mostly concerned with urban development challenges, with particular focus on historic city centres, urban green areas and the protection of the industrial heritage and a conference on Art of the Southern Netherlands, Gdańsk and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Flanders Week also encompassed business and politics.
Contemporary art and films created by Ghent-based artists were shown and the audience had an opportunity to see a set of works created by Flemish artists-in-residence, film-makers and visual artists.
THE ROMANIAN WEEK
The Romanian Week’s programme combined theatre, music, art exhibitions, meetings with artists and open lectures. The festival was organised in cooperation with Romanian Cultural Institute from May 30th to June 10th 2015. Romanian theatre has already a long tradition of presence in Gdańsk. During the event various theatrical performances were presented including: Oedipus directed by Silviu Purcărete performed by the company from the National Theatre in Sibiu; Clear history directed by Nicoleta Esinencu; Zic Zac (dance performance) directed by Andrei Gavrliu, a monodrama Wyjścia based on Herta Muller’s works and directed by Jerzy Welter as well as Mihaela Michailov’s Profu`de religie directed by Bobi Pricop, performed by the company from National Theatre in Craiova. After performances of Clear history and Profu`de religie the audience had the possibility to take part in meetings with creators of both productions.
Two Windows Theatre hosted a literary meeting with Bogumił Luft entitled A Romanian chasing the happy ending, while in GST Adam Burakowski (PAN, Polish Radio) gave a lecture on history and culture of Romania: Freedom and democracy in modern Romania and Łukasz Galuska (International Centre of Culture Cracow) talked about art: Three colours. Romanian art.
There was an instrumental concert Bach in ShowBiz performed by Zoli TOTH Project as a part of Art Blend series.
ZicZac, directed by Andrei Garriliu, photo by David Linkowski
Oedipus, directed by Silriu Purcărete, Sibiu National Theatre, photo by David Linkowski
The programme of the Romanian Week included screenings of Romanian films presented in three different venues. Aferim! by Radu Jude, a recipient of Silver Bear, was presented in the Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre. The screening was preceded by an introductory lecture Everybody in Our Family –The Romanian New Wave by Paweł Biliński from the University of Gdańsk. In club Żak it was possible to watch: Child’s Pose dir. Calin Peter Netzer, Tuesday, After Christmas dir. Radu Munteana, Everybody in Our Family and The Happiest Girl in the World dir. Radu Jude, Best Intentions dir. Adriana Sitaru, Roxanne dir. Valentina Hotea as well as Beyond the Hills dir. Cristian Mungiu. The third venue hosting film screenings was City Culture Institute, presenting: Quod Erat Demonstrandum dir. Andrei Gruzsniczki, Love building dir. Iulii Ruginy, Chasing Rainbows dir. Dan Chisu, including short films: Kowalski, Pui de Somm, 12 Minutes, The Finnish Cow and Stuck for Christmas. The Two Windows Theatre invited younger audience to watch an animated feature Miaunel and Bălănel dir. Horii Ştefănescu, Zaharii Buzea and Artina Badea. The Romanian Week introduced a rather unique event – Live Cooking – a culinary journey into the farthest corners of Romania.
All the events of the Romanian Week were accompanied by three exceptional exhibitions: Many nations of Romania XX century photography (GST archeo). Horez ceramics, UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage (GST terrace) and Hodoronc Tronc by Anci Munteanu Rîmnic (Wyspa Institute of Art).
THE GEORGIAN WEEK
A week with Georgian culture was organised in October 2015 in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia. The event opened with a performance Lady with a Dog based on Anton Chechow classical play, directed by Levan Tsuladze and produced by leading Kote Marjanishvili State Drama Theatre.
The audience was also able to see a production directed by one of the most exciting of the country’s young generation of theatre practitioners – Data Tavadze. Women of Troy was a stunningly beautiful performance, an attempt to analyse and comprehend the atrocities perpetrated in the numerous wars that the country has suffered in the last forty years. Both the director and the dramaturg have taken Euripides’ tragedy as the starting point for the true life accounts volunteered by Georgian women who offered to talk about their struggle to survive during wartime.
The Georgian Week included numerous film screening accompanied by meetings with directors and lectures about contemporary Georgian cinematography. Moreover, GST hosted a very interesting photo exhibition from the National Museum of Georgia entitled Caucasian Front captured by Nino Jorjadze (1914-1918). Moreover a wonderful world of rich Georgian folk traditions where introduced, including polyphonic singing and traditional dance. Men Folk Choir Mdzlevari which promotes the interest towards the folk music and makes it inseparable part of life for the Georgian young generation, gave an amazing concert in St. John’s Centre. All those interested in polyphonic singing could also take part in workshops led by Mdzlevari choir (for professional singers) and the Polish group Song Laboratory.
Rustavi Ensemble which specializes in songs and dances for work and war. This performance was a highlight of the Georgian festival. The group, wearing spectacular costumes, and showing unbelievable dancing technique made a great impression on the viewers. Fans of more contemporary sounds enjoyed electronic music concert of: Niki Machaidze and Natalie Beridze.
Once again everyone was invited on a culinary journey to taste Georgian delicacies and drink excellent wine.
Rustavi Ensemble, photo by David Linkowski
There was also a traditional dance performance by the
THE GERMAN WEEK
The German Week which was organized in October 2016, in the cooperation with the General Consulate of Germany in Gdańsk, combined various theatrical and musical events as well as art exhibitions, business and cultural meetings.
Meetings and conferences focusing on economical, scientific or historical issues took place in the Old Town Hall, the European Solidarity Centre and at the University of Gdańsk. Moreover, navy Fregate Karlsruhe arrived at the Gdańsk port and was opened to the public during the German Week. The artistic programme comprised of theatrical performances dealing with issues important for current political and economical situation not only in Germany but also in Europe.
The German Week opened with Doctor Faustus directed by Johanna Schall and performed by actors from Bremer Shakespeare Company. It was a surprising and exciting retelling of Christopher Marlowe’s classic play. The audience watched a performance alternating between medieval images, obscene humour, poetic monologues and profound dialogues. The performance was accompanied by workshops led by actors from Bremer Shakespeare Company: Petra Janina Schultz and Markus Seuss. It resulted in an open presentation.
Die Schutzbefohlenen, a powerful performance from Theater Bremen, based on Elfride Jelinek’s text left a deep impression on the audience – being confronted with the situation of the refugees and face their isolation. The play has shown the cynicism of the asylum policy of the affluent European countries such as Austria or Germany. Equally powerful performance Stolpersteine Staatstheater, by Hans-Werner Kroesinger and Regine Dura, took a close look on Badisches Staatstheater during the months around Adolf Hitler’s seizure of power in Germany on 1933. It focuses on the lives of four employees of the theatre who lost their jobs due to “racial reasons”. The title of the play relates to the project by artist Gunter Demnig who has been placing cobblestones topped by metallic plates with names, in the sidewalks across Europe, memorializing victims of the Nazi regime. Two of these Stolpersteine are placed in front of Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe.
Two Windows Theatre invited younger audience to see Jorinde und Joringel – a puppet show directed and performed by a legendary Helga Brehme from Theatre am Faden Stuttgart. One of the most unique events was a concert I Eat The Sun
Doctor Faustus, directed by Johanna Schall, Bremer Shakespeare Company, photo: Dawid Linkowski
And Drink The Rain by Sven Helbig and 441 Hz Chamber Choir from Gdańsk. It combined classical compositions with electric sounds. The audience could also see a futuristic performance by Weisser Westen or laugh at jokes during Steffen Möller stand-up. Moreover, GST hosted film screenings of Pina and Good Bye Lenin!
Some of the events took place in other venues, such as: performative reading of excerpts from The rat by Günter Grass in Günter Grass Gallery and Death of a Hunter a monodrama directed by Peter Thiers in Wybrzeże Theatre.
Classical music fans could go to concerts of Police Orchestra from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Philharmonic Orchestra from the University of Greifswald.
All the events of the German Week was accompanied by numerous exhibitions: Transformation by Olaf Schlote (GST); Non places (Günter Grass Gallery in Gdańsk); Return of the Giants (Gdańsk City Gallery); Teutonic Knights and Gdańsk. 550 Anniversary of the Second Peace of Thorn (Artus Court) There were also film screenings in City Culture Institute and in Laźnia Centre for Contemporary art.
THE UKRAINIAN WEEK
The rich programme of the Ukrainian Week, which took place in November 2016, included performances, concerts, exhibitions, film screenings and lectures. The festival celebrating Ukrainian culture opened with two performances brought by the Ivan Franko National Academic Drama Theatre from Kiyv – Eric XIV by August Strindberg and Maidan Diaries by Natalia Vorozhbyt.
production with a lavish set design and atmospheric music from Jim Jarmusch’s films. The leading role of a Swedish monarch was played by Yevhen Nyshchuk – a current Ukrainian Minister of Culture.
Maidan Diaries directed by Andriy May was a moving documentary drama, an important artistic voice in a debate about ongoing Ukrainian conflict.
RED - another interesting production was brought by The Beautiful Flowers Theatre whose members created the unique, wordless genre called Funk Futurism.
There was also a comic play presented during the Ukrainian festival - Stalkers written by Pavlo Arie and directed by Stas Jirkov. It is a specific comedy set in the territory of Chernobyl Exclusion Zone , where myth and reality are equally authentic. The performance was a co-production of “Golden Gate” Theater and Kiev Academic Young Theatre.
Yevhen Nyshchuk in Eric XIV directed by Stanislav Moiseiev, Ivan Franko National Academic Drama Theatre, photo: Dawid Linkowski
Eric XIV, directed by Stanislav Moiseiev, was a spectacular
One of the most unusual and emotional events on the verge of music and theatre was an opera-requiem IYOV (Job). The centre of musical scenography was the prepared piano that turned into a real orchestra. Music of IYOV, composed by Roman Grygoriv and Illia Razumeiko, combined minimalism and the avant-garde, neoclassicism and rock. It was directed by Vlad Troitsky. It was a true masterpiece which made a great impression on the audience.
A concert of ONUKA was a great musical feast ending an extremely diverse and interesting Ukrainian Week. All those interested in Ukrainian folk could take part in workshops led by a Polish group Song Laboratory. GST hosted an exceptional exhibition Elementary manipulation presenting works of such artists as Sergiy Petluk, grupa Zhuzhalka group, Yurko Vovkogon, Oleksiy Konoshenko and Vladislav Krasnoschok.
an Kaleidoscope – about political, social and cultural situation in contemporary Ukraine presented by Taras Voznyak, dr Iryna Starovoyt and dr Oleksandr Boichenko. The debates were moderated by dr Marta Koval and prof. Marek Wilczyński from the University of Gdańsk.
The audience was also invited to take part in live cooking show and tourism presentation. Some of the events of the Ukrainian Week took place in City Culture Institute (film screenings) and Two Windows Theatre (a solo dance performance by Danil Belkin).
IVOV opera-requiem, photo by David Linkowski
The programme included a series of lectures entitled Ukraini-
Africa, directed by Peter Verhelst, NTGent, photo by David Linkowski
THEATRES OF EUROPE FUTURE PLANS
The Theatres of Europe programme is continuously expanding to include other countries in Europe and beyond.
In 2017 we plan the festivals presenting culture of such countries as Portugal, Israel and Lithuania. Furthermore, in 2018 we intent to begin the cooperation with: France, Thailand, Spain, Iran and Italy.
THE GDAŃSK SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL
The Tiger Lillies perform Hamlet, directed by Martin Tulinius, Republique Theatre in Copenhagen - at the 19th Gdańsk Shakespeare Festival 2015; photo by Dawid Linkowski
Hamlet, directed by Oskaras Korsunovas, Vilnius City Theatre, photo by Tomasz Zerek - at the 14th Gdańsk Shakespeare Festival 2010
The international Gdańsk Shakespeare Festival is one of the key events in European theatre, bringing together performances, workshops and meetings with artists from every corner of the world. The Gdańsk Shakespeare Festival showcases today’s most interesting theatrical trends inspired by the works of Shakespeare. Since 1997, it has been taking place annually with the Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre (from 2008) and the Theatrum Gedanense Foundation as the main organisers of the event.
So far, festival audiences have had a chance to appreciate nearly 400 plays and artistic events brought to the city by artists representing around 40 countries. Productions by the world’s greatest theatrical directors have been presented, among them: Peter Brook, Luk Perceval, Elizabeth LeCompte, Lew Dodin, Oskaras Koršunovas, Roberto Ciulli, Robert Sturua, Konstantin Bogomolov, Yoshihiro Kurita, Krzysztof Warlikowski, Jan Klata, Eimuntas Nekrošius, Silviu Purcărete, to mention only a few of the most notable. Ever since it launched its activity, the Gdańsk Shakespeare Festival has been an international exchange and discussion platform for theatre admirers and creators.
within the Shakespeare Summer Academy has been offered to the youth from Poland and abroad. The programme facilitates young people’s interaction with the world’s top class theatre and its creators.
Traditionally, also the ShakespeareOFF stream finds its way to the festival high seas, showcasing the latest quests and trends of the fringe theatre and confronting the achievements of acclaimed artists with those of the beginning ones. The festival organizers have developed ties with cultural organizations around the world through the realization of international joint projects and co-productions. The festival also initiated the idea of the European Shakespeare Festivals Network (ESFN) which was founded in Gdańsk. The Network gathers festivals from Great Britain, Germany, Hungary, Romania, Czech Republic, Spain, Denmark, Armenia and is expanding every year.
Julius Caesar. Spared parts, directed by Romeo Castellucci, Societas Raffaello Sanzio; photo by Dawid Linkowski - at the 20 th Gdansk Shakespeare Festival 2016
For many years now, an impressive educational programme
COOPERATION OPPORTUNITIES
Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre, view inside the theatre through the opened roof, photo by Krzysztof Mystkowski/KFP
In the “Theatres of Europe” festival series we wish to present leading theatre plays, admirable and dramatically gripping productions. We are interested both in mainstream and alternative projects which are a legitimate response to our mission – creative, outstanding visions, which offer a different approach to the dramatic experience. We hope to make the coming seasons unforgettable and we welcome your cooperation to make this possible.
Do not hesitate to contact us! The Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre Director: Prof. Jerzy Limon Event coordinators: Maria Gostyńska and Anna Albinger +48 58 35 10 109, impresariat@teatrszekspirowski.pl Media and public/corporate relations: Natalia Wiercińska, +48 58 3510 123, natalia.wiercinska@teatrszekspirowski.pl Magdalena Hajdysz +48 691 082 277, rzecznik@teatrszekspirowski.pl Anna Szynkaruk-Zgirska +48 58 3510 153, promocja@teatrszekspirowski.pl
Patron HRH The Prince of Wales
THE GDAŃSK SHAKESPEARE THEATRE Director: Prof. Jerzy Limon ul. W. Bogusławskiego 1, 80-818 Gdańsk, Poland phone: +48 58 351 01 51 sekretariat@teatrszekspirowski.pl shakespearetheatre.pl
On the back cover: Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre Opening on September 19th 2014, photo by Dawid Linkowski
2017