On stage: 7 actors, multimedia, live music and a pool filled with several tons of water.
Bartłomiej Sowa took pictures of the rehearsal
93 years passed since „Akropolis” by Wyspiański was opened on 1 December 1916. Until now, Polish directors staged the text 11 times. 47 years ago, at the Theatre of 13 Rows in Opole, Jerzy Grotowski directed his homonymous production (10.10.1962). In the new century, Piotr Cieplak referred to „Akropolis” staginig its fragment at Wrocławski Teatr Współczesny under the title as “The Tale of Jacob” (opened on 12 January 2001).
"Akropolis. Reconstruction" is an attempt of penetration of our collective memory using theatre. Acropolis in Athens was the major cultural and religious centre of ancient Greece from 5th century BC. Many temples, including the Pantheon, and Theatre of Dionysus. Historically, Acropolis was both a fortress and a holy place. People settled there as early as in the Neolithic Age. Writing „Akropolis” (1904), Stanisław Wyspiański was fascinated by Wawel castle in Krakow: a symbolic place of Polish and European culture. Together with the architect Stanisław Ekielski, he developed a plan of creating a spiritual, cultural and political centre for all Poles, precisely on Wawel hill. Jerzy Grotowski, in his version of „Akropolis” (1962), replaced Wawel by Auschwitz camp.
In Michael Marmarinos' production, the audience will be invited to an extraordinary trip in search of the Polish 'acropolis' of our times.