SHOWCASE 2026 | MARCH 27th - 29th
We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.
~ Kurt Vonnegut
From March 27th to 29th, the JK Opole Theatre will host its annual Showcase – three days dedicated to presenting the most current work of the company, alongside invited artists and guests from abroad.
This year’s programme continues the theatre’s investigation of the roles, behaviours and expectations shaping contemporary life. The season examines the distance between who we are and the positions we occupy in private, professional and public spheres. The Showcase brings these questions into focus, presenting work that challenges convention, examines systems and probes the narratives we use to define ourselves.
The Showcase opens with The Taming of the Shrew, directed by Ewa Platt, a sharply articulated response to Shakespeare’s play, awarded the main prize in the New Yorick competition and the Press Award at the Gdańsk Shakespeare Festival.
The programme continues with the opening night of Bullshit Jobs, directed by Mira Mańka – a brisk, critical and humorous examination of the workplace, inspired by the bestselling book by Wiesławiec Deluxe and rooted in the lived reality of late capitalism.
Another new production, Authentic, directed by Norbert Rakowski and co-produced with the Henryk Tomaszewski Pantomime Theatre in Wrocław, challenges our understanding of identity and what it means to be authentic. Prepare to enter a space where the stage belongs not only to humans, and authenticity is questioned in surprising, unfamiliar ways.
The programme also includes Froth on the Daydream, directed by Igor Mendjisky – the first Polish stage adaptation of Boris Vian’s acclaimed novel, ranked among the most important works of the 20th century by Le Monde. The French director of Polish descent brings a contemporary theatrical perspective to this modern classic.
Each performance will be accompanied by English subtitles. In addition to the core programme, the Showcase will offer accompanying events, including a concert and conversations with artists (full details announced shortly).
The Showcase remains a concentrated opportunity to experience the artistic direction of the JK Opole Theatre, to encounter new voices, and to take part in dialogue about what theatre can reveal about the present moment. We invite audiences, professionals, and international partners to join us in Opole.
Spend a few unforgettable days at the JK Opole Theatre with us!
Europejskie Forum Teatralne odbędzie się w Teatrze im. Jana Kochanowskiego w Opolu.
Organizowane jest przez Komisję Europejską.
WhAT'S ON
*The programme will be expanded with accompanying events, including meetings with the creators.*
SIDE EVENTS
Paweł krawiec | jazz guitar trio
CONCERT | 22 March (Saturday) at 9:00 PM
Small Stage
Paweł Krawiec – Electric Guitar
Jakub Kozłowski – Double Bass
Gabriel Antoniak – Drums
Jazz Guitar Trio performing original compositions by the leader as well as jazz standards. Their wild, expressive playing style, virtuosity of all musicians, and developed collective sound electrify from the first notes. The band is an extremely fresh proposition in the context of a guitar trio. They do not limit themselves to musical techniques only from the world of jazz. Rock and roll wildness and spontaneity accompany their music all the time.
The lineup consists of outstanding young Polish musicians, awarded in competitions, recording albums, and performing concerts both in the country and abroad.
MEET THE ARTISTS
Audiences are invited to talks with the creators after the performance “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” | 2.03 (Saturday).
Find out who created “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” & “A Manual for Cleaning Women”.
Agata Nowosielska – WSZYSTKIE ZAKAZANE POKOJE (en. ALL THE FORBIDDEN ROOMS)
Main Hall, GSW Gallery
Curator: Matylda Prus
GSW collaboration: Marta Miś
An exhibition presenting the latest series of paintings by Agata Nowosielska, one of the most intriguing Polish painters. In this series, the artist revisits her complex family history, using personal experiences to address universal and still relevant themes. As the artist herself states: “This exhibition is about memories, unspoken injustices, the strength of women, and the cruelty of wars.”
From 20nd to 23rd March FREE ADMISSION for Showcase participants upon presentation of pass or event badge.
Jarek Kajdana – SAYA NO UCHI: What Do You Know About Japan?
ANEKS GSW Gallery
Curator: Łukasz Kropiowski
For this exhibition, the artist has chosen a set of Japanese-inspired motifs as his central theme. Given that he has never been to Japan—having neither conducted field research nor even experienced “Japaneseness” as a tourist—this might seem rather inappropriate. However, it is worth noting that while Kajdana has never visited Japan, Japan has been visiting Kajdana for many years.
This exhibition is a form of recognition awarded to the artist by the GSW curatorial team during the Spring Salon 2024.
From 20nd to 23rd March FREE ADMISSION for Showcase participants upon presentation of pass or event badge.
PARTNERS OF THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY
media patronage OF THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY
MEDIA SUPPORT
PARTNERZY
Dofinansowano ze środków Ministra Kultury i Dziedzictwa Narodowego pochodzących z Funduszu Promocji Kultury
– państwowego funduszu celowego, w ramach programu „Taniec”, realizowanego przez Narodowy Instytut Muzyki i Tańca.
Zadanie dofinansowane przez
Samorząd Województwa Opolskiego
