ZAMEK Culture Centre

Three years ago Alicja, Ala, Magda, Natalia, Krysia, Artur W., Artur L., Jakub, Maciej, Piotr, Rafał and Grażyna went on a theatrical journey. The pandemic and its strictures prevented them from contacting the audience, made it impossible for them to explore other mysterious worlds together. So they focused all their energy on changing the way they thought about the situation they were in and the way they looked at the world. During this time, the Jest Jak Jest Theatre Group met and looked for ways to understand their relationships with one another and the environment. During rehearsals, the group members (dependents, their carers and the director) carried out research into adulthood.

I'm afraid of you growing up, son. (Why?)
 Because it means I'm getting older and my strength is dwindling.
How can I give you to the world?
- Ania

The time has passed and the simple division between children and adults has become irrelevant. Former children are now dependent adults whose carers, with time, will become dependents themselves. The fear of change and the longing for the world, for an independent life as free people, are themes that the actors will confront on stage. The artists were inspired, among other things, by Krystyna Miłobędzka's poems. One of them even gave the performance its title!

The Jest Jak Jest Theatre Group is composed of members of Poznań-based communities created for people with various disabilities. They include residents of two homes run by the L'Arche Polska Foundation and participants of the Occupational Therapy Workshops run by the NA TAK Association, charges of the ISKRA Association for the Disabled and the Daily Adaptation Centre. Several actors cope with the barriers of everyday life on their own. The group has been working at the ZAMEK Culture Centre in Poznań for three years, and since this year the actors' carers have also been involved in their artistic activities. The artistic supervision of the entire project is exercised by Grażyna Wydrowska.

Grażyna Wydrowska - actress, director, theatre teacher, and a co-founder of the legendary Wierzbak Theatre. She conducts workshops and training courses and creates intergenerational artistic and social projects. Grażyna Wydrowska is the winner of the Stanisław Wyspiański Artistic Award for the Young, the Jan Dorman Artistic Award and the Award of the Council of Ministers. For her cultural activities, she was awarded the title of "One of 100 Female Citizens of Wielkopolska" as part of the "Time of Female Citizens" project. She conducts classes for both professional artists and amateurs - children, adults and seniors.

A performance for audiences of all ages, translated into Polish sign language.

direction: Grażyna Wydrowska
cast: Piotr Bartoszewski, Alicja Bochniak, Magdalena Gombowska, Natalia Jaskowska, Artur Lewandowski, Krystyna Morawska, Jakub Radecki, Rafał Różański, Artur Warchoł, Alicja Zacharczuk, Maciej Zandecki
music: Joanna Sykulska
set design: Jarosław Szelest
video: Bartłomiej Wąsiel
costumes: Ewa Tetlak
translation into Polish Sign Language: Joanna Mitschke-Mazur
production: ZAMEK Culture Centre

 The performance was produced as part of the performance project entitled "Presence", prepared by the Zamek Culture Centre in cooperation with the Norwegian CODA Oslo International Dance Festival and Warsaw's Teatr 21 thanks to the grant from the Norwegian and EEA Funds.