The beginning
In 2016 Norbert Rakowski officially opened the stage with a premiere of THE WEDDING by Witold Gombrowicz directed by Anna Augustynowicz, well-known and awarded Polish director. Later on the show won many prizes and was invited for national and international theatre festivals. It was a very promising start for the future that is now consequently being created on our own eyes.
The intention of the Competition’s originators is to, in the modern cultural, social, political and artistic context, initiate and conduct explorations related creatively to the professional experimental theatre formula proposed by Grotowski. The aim of each annual edition of the Competition is to select at least one project financed by the JK Opole Theatre and perform them on the Modelatornia stage, engaging the Theatre’s team members in cooperation.
The heritage of Grotowski
Pointing out the connection with the tradition of Jerzy Grotowski team, we refer primarily to its Opole period. During his work in Opole, the Theater of 13 Raws creatively benefited from the achievements and proposals of the European theatrical and artistic avant-garde, trying out their possibilities and developing the original theatrical language. At the same time, he faced important elements of European and Polish cultural heritage important for young artists, recognizing their contemporary meanings and values in his theatrical battle. As a result, a theater was created with an experimental artistic form, undertaking fundamental ideological problems and confronting viewers with their original stage vision.
From creators who want to cooperate with us we do not expect direct references to the aesthetics or creative methods developed by the Theatre of 13 Raws and the Laboratory Theatre, although of course we are only interested in activities inspired by them.
The place
Opole is a city where the heritage of early works of Jerzy Grotowski is still vivid. It’s here where this great Polish reformer established the Theatre of 13 Raws. In the vein of this tradition we aim to create a place of searching new theatrical language, artistic experiment and initiation of new creative dialogue.
The scene
A modern, multifunctional space with an industrial character which until 2016 served as a theatrical painting decoration space. Its new look is a combination of original architectural elements with modern technology. Thanks to the constellation of connections and ceiling hooks as well as the mobile audience, it is possible to customize the layout of the stage and the audience (moving chairs and platforms) to the needs of a given project. The fourth stage of one of the largest dramatic theaters in Poland – JK Opole Theatre.
• room area: 340m²
• the possibility of any arrangement of the audience
The mission
Our idea is to create a place where artists from around the world will be able to conduct experimental research and creative explorations inspired by the postulates of Jerzy Grotowski.
We want to implement long-term projects using a diverse theatrical languages based on both classical and contemporary drama.
