Miracle therapy

Author: Daniel Glattauer Translation: Marek Szalsza Director's supervision: Arkadiusz Buszko Scenography and costumes: Anna Kolanecka Music: Filip Sternal Starring: Joanna Matuszak, Arkadiusz Buszko, Adam Kuzycz-Berezowski Copyright to the play is represented by the Agenzia Dramatu i Teatru ADiT Elżbieta Manthey

Extremely brilliant comedy of the castle Theatre Piwnica pri Krypta. Joanna and Valentin went to marriage therapy. They agree on only one thing — that they intend to part, and that they are a cohesive team only during an argument. The therapist diagnoses them with such an acute state of tension that they resort to a special method: miracle therapy. Spouses need to imagine that suddenly everything is fine between them. The effect, however, is the opposite — the fictitious idea of happiness only highlights the present emptiness. They both get even harder. Also, the game of role switching does not bring results, moreover, it becomes an ideal opportunity to portray your partner as a monster and mock him.

Joanna and Valentin seem like a really hopeless case, until the therapist runs out of ideas and manages to take a break... When the session resumes, the psychologist — after a phone call — seems completely shaken. He is unable to continue therapy until finally the surprised spouses proceed to counterattack. Now they are the ones who start asking questions...

— “Miracle therapy” in our edition is a brilliant and entertaining analysis of changes occurring during the marital crisis, where even a psychotherapist — in addition to giving advice — can actively participate in therapy — Arkadiusz Buszko

Daniel Glattauer (born 1960 in Vienna), graduate of pedagogy. At first he was an amateur writer, songwriter and waiter, later he became a journalist. He worked first as an editor at “Die Presse”, then for twenty years he was the author of texts for “Der Standard”. He has published more than a dozen novels, two of which: N @pisz to me (Gut gegen Nordwind, 2006) and Back to me (Alle sieben Wellen, 2009) have been bestsellers and translated into many foreign languages.

Marek Szalsza (born 1967) writer and translator. He lived in Katowice, Gdansk, Vienna, now in Sopot. His novel “The Fall of Shatrangu” won the Bolesław Fac Literary Competition of the City of Gdańsk and was published by Wydawnictwo w Podwór (2015). The author also published a short novel in episodes entitled “The Road to Trachinka” in SLOW magazine. Numerous translations of plays by him, mainly by Austrian writers, have been and are played in theaters.