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OKNO - ZBLIŻENIA

From December 16 to 21 and from December 28 to 29 we would like to invite the audience for two meetings within the frames of this year's edition of the project OKNO - ZBLIŻENIA. The project is dedicated to presentation of various currents of creative pursuits in contemporary theatre, as well as to exchange of practices and informal artistic and cultural education. The project's intention is to familiarize the participants with the broadest possible spectrum of activities of the invited artists and with their experiences. The unifying motif of the OKNO 2016 events is the theme of BODY / VOICE.

After the workshop sessions conducted by Ditte Berkeley and Przemysław Błaszczak (ZAR Theatre) this time we will have the unique opportunity to participate in a comprehensive meetings with two prominent Practitioners of Theatre - the people who have spent decades searching and exploring methods of work with actor and transgressing the limits of art: finding the essence in work with body, voice and motion. One of them is Thomas Richards, the longtime disciple, collaborator, heir and continuator of Jerzy Grotowski, one of the most important figures of Polish and European theatre. The other is Thedoros Terzopoulos - the director and founder of the Attis Theatre, the revolutionary reformer of classical Greek theatre, the author of the method taught at dozens of theatre academies and universities all over the world.

As part of Szczecin's meeting, Thomas Richards with the Workcenter team will conduct theatre workshops titled "Living Song: Action / Intention". The audience will also have the opportunity to witness the presentation of the creative process within the theatre work "The Living Room". The conference "Thirty years of Workcenter" will takes the audience on a journey through the different phases of research of performing arts developed at the Workcenter.

Theodoros Terzopoulos, together with the actors: Savvas Stoumpos and Przemyslaw Błaszczak, will conduct his workshop, named "The Return of Dionysus. Working method of Theodoros Terzopoulos" and meet with the audience during the presentation of the movie "Theatre Ecomium" and the promotion of Polish edition of his book "The Return of Dionysus. Working method of Theodoros Terzopoulos".

The OKNO - ZBLIŻENIA 2016, "BODY / VOICE" project was financially supported by the Ministry of Culture, the program: Cultural Education.

Editorial cooperation: RMF Classic

Thomas Richards

(B.A. Yale University, M.A. the University of Bologna, Ph.D. University of Paris VIII) is Artistic Director of the research of Workcenter of Jerzy Grotowski and Thomas Richards. He began his apprenticeship with Grotowski in 1985, and their work together developed until Grotowski's passing away in 1999.
Thomas Richards arrived in Italy in 1986 with Jerzy Grotowski from the University of California, Irvine, where he had participated in Grotowski's "Focused Research Program in Objective Drama". In Italy, at first Mr. Richards worked as Grotowski's assistant, but soon he became the leader of one of the work teams, and then Grotowski's "essential collaborator". Eventually, Mr. Richards became Director of the Research Program on Performing Arts at the Workcenter. Richards was a fundamental driving force in the research developed at the Workcenter that has come to be known as "Art as Vehicle". In 1996, Grotowski decided to change the name of the Workcenter of Jerzy Grotowski to Workcenter of Jerzy Grotowski and Thomas Richards, because, as he specified, the direction of the practical work already concentrated itself in the hands of Thomas Richards.
Concerning Richards, Grotowski stated, "The nature of my work with Thomas Richards has the character of 'transmission'; to transmit to him that to which I have arrived in my life: the inner aspect of the work." Richards was the main creator and doer of the performative opus within the Workcenter research Art as Vehicle entitled Downstairs Action (filmed by Mercedes Gregory in 1989); he was the creator and main doer of Action, and the creator and a doer of The Letter (formerly: An Action in creation), the initial stage of which was called The Twin: an Action in creation. He co-directed One breath left, One breath left - Dies Ira, Dies Ira and Dies Ira: The Preposterous Theatrum Interioris Show; performative opuses created at the Workcenter inside Project The Bridge: Developing Theatre Arts.
Mr. Richards was the Artistic Director of the Workcenter's project Tracing Roads Across (April 2003 to April 2006), supported by the "Culture 2000" Programme of the European Union. He was also the Artistic Director of Horizons (2007-2009 -Wroclaw), a Workcenter project which culminated in the Zero Budget Festival (2009), organized under Richard's direction.
Since 2008, Thomas Richards has been leading a new team at the Workcenter, the Focused Research Team in Art as Vehicle. With his team he directs and conducts work on the opuses: The Living Room (premiered in 2009), L'heure fugitive (premiered in 2015), and The Underground: A Response to Dostoevsky (premiered in 2016). He is the author of At Work with Grotowski on Physical Actions, The Edge-Point of Performance and Heart of Practice: Within the Workcenter of Jerzy Grotowski and Thomas Richards.

The Workcenter of Jerzy Grotowski

(named since 1996 the Workcenter of Jerzy Grotowski and Thomas Richards) was founded in 1986 in Pontedera, Italy, at the initiative of Jerzy Grotowski, the Centro per la Sperimentazione e la Ricerca Teatrale (now Fondazione Pontedera Teatro) and the University of California, Irvine, in collaboration with Peter Brook (Centre International de Créations Théatrales), as a creative institute of permanent education for adult artists. At the Workcenter throughout the last 13 years of his life, Grotowski developed a line of performance research known as Art as Vehicle, in which, as in certain old traditions, the focus on art goes together with an approach that emphasizes the interiority of the human being, a research which he continued until his death in 1999. Within this creative investigation, he worked very closely with Thomas Richards whom he called his 'essential collaborator'. During these thirteen years of intense practical work, Grotowski transmitted to Richards the fruit of his lifetime research, what he referred to as 'the inner aspect of the work'.
Grotowski entrusted Richards and Mario Biagini, a key member of the Workcenter team since its beginnings, as the sole legatees of his estate, which includes his entire body of written work. Since 1999, acting as the Workcenter's Artistic Director and Associate Director, respectively, Richards and Biagini continue to develop the Workcenter's line of performance research.
Since 2007/2008 the Workcenter has hosted two teams: the Focused Research Team in Art as Vehicle, directed by Thomas Richards, and Open Program, directed by Mario Biagini. Twenty artists from ten different nationalities are engaged in the activities of the Workcenter, which articulate in a systematic research on performing arts. The Workcenter dedicates itself to the professional growth of its artists, and concentrated efforts are made in order that the team members uncover and develop their unique creative potentialities. Grotowski never wished to make of his research a dogmatized practice, rather he emphasized the need for development. At the Workcenter new discoveries arise from continuous practice, and the investigation is enriched by a living link between generations, which is sustained by growth and distillation of practical knowledge. Today, the Workcenter operates within the National Theatre - Fondazione Teatro della Toscana.
More information: www.theworkcenter.org

The Focused Research Team in Art as Vehicle

which commenced at the Workcenter in February 2008 under the direction of Thomas Richards, continues research in the domain of Art as Vehicle, a praxis that from the Workcenter's beginning has been based on the creation of lines of actions structured with and around ancient traditional songs. The basis of Art as Vehicle is the investigation into the way in which the performing arts can be a tool for the transformation of the artist's perception and presence, a means of awakening subtle aspects of experience through work on structured streams of action and song. It is a long-term research that requires of each person involved a disciplined and devoted work, with the intention of coming in contact with one's innermost sources, to move with them towards what Grotowski and Richards have called a 'transformation of energy'. Art as Vehicle is therefore a field in which the performing artist works on the rich potential of experiencing what the present moment contains. The Focused Research Team in Art as Vehicle is currently exploring how the potentialities invoked in this realm of art can exist within and in relation to daily life, and how such performing acts can serve as a bridge toward an opening of perception not only in the frame of the act itself, but also in our daily experiences and interactions.

Theodoros Terzopoulos

was born in Makrygialos village. He studied and worked as assistant director at Berliner Ensemble (Berlin, 1972-1976). He has been Director of the Drama School of the State Theatre of Northern Greece (Thessaloniki, 1981-1983). He created Attis Theatre group on 1985 in Delphi. He has directed tragedies by Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides, opera, contemporary plays by the most prominent European and contemporary Greek writers. He has directed in many international theatres, participated in numerous international festivals and collaborated with important actors. Theodoros Terzopoulos and Attis Theatre have presented 2000 performances all over the world throughout 30 years.
Theodoros Terzopoulos' method and approach on ancient Greek tragedy is taught in Drama Academies, Institutes and Departments of Classical Studies all over the world. He is conducting many workshops and lectures, while he is an emeritus professor in international Academies and Universities. Theodoros Terzopoulos has been awarded with many Theatre Prizes in Greece and abroad. Books on his working method have been published and translated in Greek, English, German, Chinese, Turkish, Russian, Korean and Polish. As the artistic director of the International Meetings of Ancient Drama in Delphi (1985-1988), he invited important performances from all over the world, prestigious international theatre personalities and artists. He has been founding member of the International Institute of Mediterranean Theatre since 1990 and President of the International Institute of Mediterranean Theatre in Greece since 1991. He is the creator and artistic director of the International Meetings of Ancient Drama in Municipality of Sikyon (Greece) from 2004 till 2011. Since 1993 he is the Chairman of the International Committee of Theatre Olympics. As the artistic director of the 1st T.O. (Delphi, 1995, "Crossing Millennia"), he invited significant international performances and artists. He has been Chairman of the 2nd T.O. (Shizuoka, Japan, 1999, "Creating Hope"), the 3rd T.O. (Moscow, 2001, "Theatre for the people"), the 4th T.O. (Istanbul, 2006, "Beyond Borders"), the 5th T.O. (Seoul, 2010, "Sarang (Love and Humanity)"), the 6th T.O. (Beijing, 2014, "Dream") and the 7th T.O. (Wroclaw, 2016, "The world as a place of truth").

Savvas Stroumpos

was born in 1979 in Athens. He graduated from the drama school of the National Theatre of Greece (2002). He has an MA with Merit from the department of Theater Practice, University of Exeter, UK (2003).
From 2006 he worked as an assistant to director Theodoros Terzopoulos. With Attis Theatre he performed in: Hamlet, an apprenticeship by Boris Pasternak (2001), Prometheus Bound by Aeschylus (2003), Epigonoi by Aeschylus (2004), Triptych by Samuel Beckett (2004), Ajax the madness by Sophocles (2004), Last Mask by Kostas Logaras (2006), Perses by Aeschylus (2006), Kassandra addresses to the dead people by Marios Pontikas (2007), Ajax by Sophocles (2008), Prometheus Bound by Aeschylus (2010).
He is a founding member of Simeio Miden (Zero Point) theatre group. With Zero Point Theater Group he has directed: In the Penal Colony by Franz Kafka (2009), As You like It by William Shakespeare (2010), The Justs by Albert Camus (2011), Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka (2012), Woyzeck by Georg Büchner (2013), In the Penal Colony by Franz Kafka (2nd version - 2014), We by Yevgeni Zamiatin (2015), The Mission by Heiner Müller (2016). His productions are presented on the New Stage of Attis Theatre.

Przemysław Błaszczak

an actor; associated with the Grotowski Institute since 1995. He studied philosophy at the Wrocław University. From 1996 to 1999 he worked with Song of the Goat Theatre under the guidance of Grzegorz Braal, where he performed in Dithyramb. In autumns 2002 she stared working on his solo performance, Ecce Homo premiered on March 21, 2003 in the Grotowski Centre. Since 2004, he has been an actor of the ZAR Theatre. He performs in Gospels of Childhood. The Triptych and in Armine, Sister. Since 2012 he has collaborated with Theodoros Terzopoulos. He performs in Heiner Müller's Mauser directed by Terzopoulos. For over six years he has studied the Japanese martial art of aikido under sensei Piotr Masztalerz (5th Dan). In 2011 he was uchideshi under Juba Nour Shihan (6th Dan) in Baja California, Mexico. He is currently taking part in kenshusei training to become an aikido teacher. In 2005 he spend one month in Japan, invited by Toshi Tsushitori, practicing shintaido, a Japanese system that integrates voice and body through training based on traditional Japanese karate.

Monika Blige

graduated in Polish philology (theatre studies) from the Adam Mickiewicz University (AMU) in Poznan with a dissertation entitled 'More Than Theatre'. Village Theatre Wegajty - cultural and artistic phenomenon. From 2001 to 2005 she was involved with the Węgajty Theatre's Fieldwork Project (she participated, among others in performances Upiorny całun and Synczyzna). In 2005 she began working at the Grotowski Institute (in 2007 renamed the Grotowski Centre) in Wrocław. She has been in charge of the Publishing Section. She has edited over thirty books, among others, the Ludwik Flaszen's book Grotowski & Company, published in collaborator with the Icarus Publishing Enterprise. In 2013 she was appointed the Grotowski Institute's Deputy Director for Programming.

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