80 decibels, Institute of Performative Law, the premiere of the Polish Network of Performing Arts

Noise is the second biggest environmental threat to our lives after air pollution. Despite this, the state does not provide effective protection, and a fifth of us are forced to live in places that destroy our health. It's time to end it.

“80 decibels” is a performance that tells about life in a city where noise has become the norm. The title refers to the sound level faced every day by the residents of the newly built Warsaw Osiedle Przy Aleje, where the noise level exceeds the level considered harmful to health.

The starting point is the story of one settlement, but the spectacle quickly reveals the scale of the phenomenon. Why are new apartments being built in Poland in places where noise standards are regularly exceeded? Who is responsible for this - developers, officials, or maybe the state that allows it?

The creators conduct a theatrical investigation, combining the stories of residents with legal analysis and expert knowledge. The audiovisual form of the performance allows you to feel the gravity of the problem. Sound becomes not only the subject of the performance, but also its main material.

“80 decibels” is not just about noise. It's a show about responsibility for the way we design and develop our cities, about a system that leaves residents without real protection, and what we can do about it.

cast: Marta Malikowska, Mateusz Janicki, Karol Jankiewicz, Filip Lipiecki

screenplay, research and direction: Institute of Performative Law (Maksymilian Nowak, Milena Kuchnia, Filip Płuciennik, Hanna Stacewicz)

proofreading and editing: Anna Cybulska, Filip Płuciennik, Hanna Stacewicz

expert support: Michał Zadara

Scrummaster: Milena Paszkowska

production: Milena Paszkowska, Filip Płuciennik, Hanna Stacewicz

audiovisual effects: Michał Mitoraj

product owner: Hanna Stacewicz

thanks: Institute of Acoustic Ecology, Urszula Kałłaur, Kancelaria Dubois & Partners

The performance was realized as part of the program of the Polish Performing Arts Network. It is an initiative of the Institute of Urban Culture in Gdańsk, the Teatr Komuna Warszawa, the Kana Theatre in Szczecin, the Cultural Centre in Lublin, and the Castle and Pavilion Culture Centre in Poznan.

Co-financed from the funds of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage from the Fund for the Promotion of Culture — a state special purpose fund.