Oct. 9th >>> 6:00 p.m. in Kana Theatre

COINCIDENCES OF THE CONSTANT PRINCE - meeting with Ludwik Flaszen, presentation of the recording of the performance of "The Constant Prince" by Jerzy Grotowski.

Admission - free.

LUDWIK FLASZEN

Co-founder of Jerzy Grotowskis Theatrelaboratorium. Worked there during the whole time of its existance (1959- 1984). In the 80s, Flaszen was director of this theatre. Is a ciritc, autor, and was through many years producitve partner of Jerzy Grotowski. Practitioner of the Paratheatre, teacher of acting and directing. Writes essays, critics, contributes to the theory of the Theatrelaboratorium. Wrote books like: Theatre sentenced to magic (1983), the collection of short phamplets Head and Wall (1958- confiscated by the censors) and Cyrograf (1971, 1974, 1999, french edition Chirographe, Paris 1989). Published together with Carla Pollastrelli in italian language: włoskim  Il Teatr Laboratorium di Jerzy Grotowski 1959-1969, testi e materiali di Jerzy Grotowski e Ludwik Flaszen con un scritto di Eugenio Barba (Pontedera 2001). Worked in the redaction of "Zycie Literackie" ("The literary life"), was literary head of the Juliusz Slowacki Theatre in Krakow. Since 1984, he lives in Paris. Gives theatrical workshops and is active director. Workes with the Grotowski-Institute in Wroclaw and with the magazine "Odra". Is member of the honorary comitee of the Grotowski Year 2009.

The audio-visuall reconstruction of the "Constant Prince" (1965) was made in 1977 by means of synchronizing the 16mm documentary movie from the archives of the Theatrelaboratorium in Wroclaw, which is with no sound, with the recording made in Spoleto by Ferruccia Marrotti in 1967. The gaps in the film are a result of lack of either video- or audio-material. For the DVD-version in 2005, the film was subtitled, sound and picture were digitally remastered. The original text was reconstructed by: Leszek Kolankiewicz. Head of the project: Ferrucio Marroti. Head of translation: Marina Ciccarini (italian version), Paul Allain (english version), Luisa Tinti (french version). Centro Teatro Ateneo - Universita di Roma "La Sapienza", Rzym 2005.

"The performance is in a way a very own study of the phenomen of "constancy". It does not rely on the manifestation of power, dignity or courage. In regard to the theatrical mechanisms of oppresion and superiority - he is looked at as a kind of strage creature, from a whole different genus - the prince reacts only with passivity and gentleness, a vision of a higher spiritual order. He does not defend himself against the opposing forces, he does not even react to the rules of their world. He does even more: He does not let those rules pervade his consciousness. Their cruel world full of intrigue can be no means affect him. They can do anything to him - having power only over his body and life - they can do nothing to him. By giving himself in to the atrocities of his sourrounding, the prince on the other side, stays independant and pure - to a level of extasy."

(Ludwik Flaszen)

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