Kaddish
music: Jacek Dzwonowski
costumes:Marek Stecko
scenography, choreographytheatre A
premiere: 9th November 2006 r., Gliwice
The performance's premiere was shown on the anniversary of the Night of Crystal, during which the Gliwice Synagogue was destroyed.
The "Night of Crystal" owes its name to the view presented by German city streets on the night between November 9th and 10th, 1938 – pavements covered with broken shop window glass, an effect of anti-Semitic riots induced by SD, SS and Gestapo officers. The night was one of murder and imprisonment, destruction of the Jews' houses and synagogues.
"Kaddish" was inspired by that tragic confrontation of two entirely different realities. One of these was the master race attempting to control its environment in accordance with the paradigm of nationalist exclusion, social engineering and a vision of the Übermensch. The other – the Chosen People, heirs of the Promise, Abraham's descendants who have heard: "And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing" (Gen. 12:2).
While relating to these historical events, the performance is an attempt to underline their universal dimension. The drama born due to a clash of these historical realities is still repeating itself – human beings still constantly aspire to set universal laws and invariably end up in conflict not only with others, but also with themselves and the world. As a result (or perhaps – at the root of things) they fall into conflict with their Creator. The world, refashioned by men in order to suit their desires and reflect their arrogance, becomes a preposterous place and – in the end – engulfs nations in war, consuming its constructors.
The performance alludes to many cultural tropes – alongside the symbolism of geometrical figures, signs, Jewish symbolism, significant numbers and Biblical motifs, the show draws abundantly on popular culture. In the visual domain, a strong inspiration was the art of Marc Chagall. The performance is a spectacular street event involving jugglery, acrobatics, stage installation and fire effects.
cast
Małgorzata Grund, Magdalena Kocur, Grażyna Styś, Piotr Chlipalski, Marcin i Jacek Dzwonowscy, Mariusz Kozubek, Marek Stecko, Leszek Styś.
musicians
Music by Jacek Dzownowski.
