2012 Forefathers’ Eve – Adam Mickiewicz
Dziady (Forefathers’ Eve) is one of the finest Polish romantic dramas. It is a national, historical and patriotic drama, yet also shows the drama of individuals caught up in the making of history.
The action takes place in Vilnus, Lithuania, and in Warsaw, Poland in the first half of nineteenth Century. It follows the story of protagonist Conrad, a romantic poet, who is unjustly imprisoned by the Russians who were occupying Poland during this time. He becomes a martyr who is prepared to give up everything for his country and his people. The remaining characters are chiefly prisoners, accused of conspiracy against the conqueror.
There are three loosely linked scenes, and dramatic images are interspersed with threads of black humor and the grotesque. The title itself refers to an ancient Slavic and Lithuanian feast commemorating the dead. The author dedicated this work to people fighting for freedom in the 1830s insurrection, especially those who were exiled to Siberia by the Russian occupants. Mickiewicz brings back the hope of Polish independence and gives a great picture of Polish society at such a difficult moment in history.
In this adaptation, we move away from the concrete historical realities of the nineteenth century to underline the universality of Mickiewicz’s work. We delve deep into the text to bring out the struggles between good and evil, truth and falsehood, humility and pride.
Thus, Forefathers’ Eve in this adaptation explores universal questions such as: What does freedom really mean? How far am I prepared to compromise? How much can I let power corrupt me? How strong must faith be to triumph over evil? And finally, how do I endure the hardships of a tragic destiny?
Premiere: 24 March 2012, St Joseph’s Hall, Maylands
CAST
| Konrad: | Grzegorz Niedźwiadek |
| Guardian Angel: | Klaudia Sosin |
| Ghosts/Devils: | Alex Sosin, Bertrand Kusiak |
| Belzebub: | Marcin Bury |
| Guard: | Tomasz Statkiewicz |
| Father Piotr: | Piotr Kukliński |
| Senator: | Michał Górecki |
| Doctor: | Dariusz Celiński |
| Butler: | Robert Panasiewicz |
| Pelikan: | Wiesław Wójtowicz |
| Mrs Rollinson: | Ania Niedźwiadek |
| Mrs Kmitowa: | Justyna Skóra |
| Ladies in a Warsaw Salon: | Laura Dondziło, Konstancja Kusiak, Monika Sosin, Joanna Bukara |
| Prisoners/Men in a Warsaw Salon: | Maciej Maciołek, Marek Maciołek, Robert Panasiewicz, Józef Szczepaniak |
| Duchess: | Klaudia Sosin |
| Foreman: | Tomasz Statkiewicz |
| Governor: | Wojciech Bernaciak |
| Governor’s Wife: | Monika Rosiewicz |
| Soldier: | Adam Kukliński |
| Sorcerer: | Stanisław Tomasiak |
| Woman: | Laura Dondziło |
| Women in prayer: | Joanna Bukara, Aldona Czubacka, Klaudia Czubacka |
| Director: | Tomasz Bujakowski , Maria Kuźmicka |
| Adaptation, Staging and Props: | Tomasz Bujakowski |
| Costumes: | Danuta Rosiewicz, Krystyna Łyszkowicz |
| Poster Design: | Anna Myśliwska |