Funny old man

Krzysztof Grygier, Diana Jedrzejewska-Szumska

“Monodram is a very difficult art, but in this performance there is basically no moment of downtime. We catch every word of the character. The actor perfectly managed to play out the tragedy of the hero. A funny old man is not just a reflection on guilt. It is also a bitter tale of passing, old age, oblivion and the need for closeness. Director Rafał Szumski proves that puppet theatre can be a space for deep, painful and important conversations — even (and maybe especially) when not everything is said straight.”

Monika Matura, Kulturatka.pl

“The objects designed by Magdalena Gajewska, together with the Manekin/Android/Demon costumes of the past years, are the strongest feature of the performance art. Diana Jędrzejewska-Szumska owes great words of appreciation, she plays with great discipline, awareness of body, costume and effect. Różewicz's work is a wonderful material for an acting show, a benefit role. Krzysztof Grygier, present at Grotesca since 1982 (he came here after studying at the State Higher Theater School in Krakow), deserves it most. Being a guide in Grotesque is not only another role in his achievements, but also an organic function in the team. The actor interacts smoothly with the audience, emphasizing the meta-theatrical aspect of the staging: he gives someone to hold a wig abandoned on stage by a wamp, reflects, receives, treats someone else with candy.”

Maryla Zielińska, e-teat.pl

The play takes part in the 11th Competition for the Staging of Old Works of Polish and European Literature “Living Classics”.

The main objective of the competition is to increase the presence of Polish classical texts in the repertoires of contemporary theatres and to strengthen the interest of today's creators and audiences of the theatre, as well as to restore to the repertoire valuable works of Polish drama, forgotten or rarely staged. The competition “Living Classics” is organized by the Zbigniew Raszewski Theatre Institute with funds from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.