fot. Piotr Nykowski

AUTHENTIC

We think we understand the rules when we become adults but what we really experience is a narrowing of the imagination. ~ David Lynch

What lies behind the word “authentic”?

Each of us believes we can define what is “authentic,” and each of us feels that at least at times, we are authentic ourselves. It seems simple – to be yourself, to be true to yourself. But perhaps what we consider sincere and authentic is merely an illusion? Maybe our “authenticity” is a carefully woven collage of other people’s ideas, values, and cultural clichés? And isn’t it paradoxical that, in invoking our own identity, we reach for ready images – and sometimes even for our own imagination, as if that too weren’t shaped by someone else’s narratives?

The performance is co-produced by the Wrocław Pantomime Theatre.

[...] Minkowska z wyczuciem komponuje emocjonalną amplitudę spektaklu, w której jest miejsce na gorycz, śmiech, ale też wzruszenie, które pojawia się w najmniej oczywistych sytuacjach [...].

Magdalena Piekarska, festiwalszekspirowski.pl

JK OPOLE THEATRE

Premiere

September 20th 2025

Stage

MODELATORNIA

Wrocław Pantomime Theatre

Premiere

october 3rd 2025

Stage

Center for Performing Arts

Suggested Age

16+

Duration

60 mins (no interval)

Please note: the performance contains strong language, loud music, strobe lighting, and an intimate scene.

Uwaga! W spektaklu pojawiają się migające światła, dym oraz głośne dźwięki.

Upcoming events

8.11 / saturday

performance with English subtitles

6.00 pm

9.11 / sunday

7.00 pm

„(…) potrafi rozśmieszyć, a nieraz też skłonić do refleksji. Działa jak dobrze skrojone kino gatunkowe, z rozwiązaniami z którymi teatr, moim zdaniem, mógłby częściej eksperymentować”.

Henryk Mazurkiewicz, teatralny.pl

A dense and intense performance in which a debate on the responsibilities of science intertwines with an ethical discourse on the right to personal happiness and pleasure. The reverse side of these human reflections is embodied by a pair of caged monkeys – brilliantly portrayed, both victims and perpetrators of harm. Yet the driving force of the piece lies in the confrontation between an experienced scientist and his young assistant: Bartosz Woźny compellingly conveys jaded detachment and cool distance, while Aurora Lipartowska masterfully defends her character, caught under immense pressure.

Przemek Gulda, guldapoleca

Against this backdrop, “Authentic” emerges as the next step in the director’s artistic journey – one that leads from questions of science and morality, through meditations on death, toward a reflection on authenticity in an age of technology and simulation. Rakowski has broadened both his philosophical perspective and the range of theatrical means he employs, combining elements of drama, movement, and performance art. Once again, he intrigues, captivates, and draws the audience into the world he has created.

Piotr Dobrowolski, Czas Kultury (en. Culture Time)

“Authentic” is a performance that aims to explore the essence of human authenticity, posing numerous philosophical and ideological questions. […] Through the dialogue between its characters, the creators voice dozens of profoundly difficult – yet often fundamental – questions, prompting the audience not only to analyze the shifting attitudes and reactions of the protagonists, but also to formulate their own answers in real time. It is an exceptionally intense and powerful intellectual experience, even though, on the surface, not much seems to happen on stage.

Michał Derkacz, dlastudenta.pl