Kaspar

Peter Handke

KASPAR

(Kaspar)

 

Translated by Jacek St. Buras

Set, direction, music adaptation by Barbara Wysocka

Costumes: Julia Kornacka

Cast: Marta Malikowska–Szymkiewicz. Tomasz Cymerman, Szymon Czacki (guest appearance), Maciek Prusak(guest appearance).

Premiere: 14 March 2009, Stage in the Attic.

„The play Kaspar – writes Peter Handke in the preface – does not show how it REALLY IS or WAS in case of Kaspar Hauser. It shows what MAY happen to somebody. It shows how speech can make somebody speak. The play could also bear the title Speaking Torture”. 

Kaspar Hauser is a true personage. The boy of unknown origin appeared in the streets of Nuremberg in May 1828, at the age of 16. He could only pronounce one sentence: "I want ot be a horseman, like my father". Educated and adapted to life in a society, he died in 1833 of a wound sustained in unraveled circumstances. His mysterious biography and death built up a legend that has inspired many artists until today. In 1974, Werner Herzog made a film entitled The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser.

Handke's Kaspar is not a historical play, nor does its hero portray the authentic Kaspar Hauser. The 19th century legend became barely a starting point for the Austrian playwright who wrote, in 1967, what is considered to be one of his most brilliant plays... or anti-plays. 

In Kaspar, Handke showed the process of creating the human being and, at the same time, depriving them of liberty through language.

 

Peter Handke (born 1942), Austrian playwright, novelist, poet and essayist, awarded many prestigious prizes in literature, ranked among in the lead of German language writers of the 2nd half of 20th century. He wrote „Kaspar” in 1967. Since then, the play was staged in Poland only once: the Polish premiere took place in 1987 at Stary Teatr in Krakow.

„Kaspar” is being staged at our theatre by Barbara Wysocka, graduate from the  Acting Department of the State Academy of Theatre in Krakow (currently in Stary Teatr company) and in drama directing at the same school, one of the best actresses – and one of the most interesting directors – of  young generation, laureate of many prizes. In 2007, she staged the brilliant „Curse” by Wyspiański, awarded at theatre festivals in Opole, Szczecin and Kalisz.

Upon our theatre's request, Jacek St. Buras, one of the most eminent translators of  German language literature into Polish, prepared a new translation of Handke's play.

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