The Old Man and the Sea

Santiago spent most of his life at sea, and now, under the care of a young nurse Pablo, he returns to his former expeditions. To the days when he returned empty-handed and to that fateful night in which he fought a fight with a fish bigger than his boat.

The director takes Hemingway's story to a place far from the open sea, where a great struggle with the elements gives way to an encounter with another man.

At the heart of the show is the animation of an extremely realistic Santiago doll, led by the actor of the Grotesque Theater - Paweł Kuźma. In her precise movement there is the fragility of an old fisherman, but also his stubbornness, sense of humor and warmth, which make Santiago quickly become close to the audience.

The Old Man and the Sea is a moving spectacle about courage and the fact that even at the end of the road you can find another man.

The doll is amazing, just like her animator. At the beginning of the show, we only see her ragged head and hand, but they already attract the eye. The eyes - large, glassy and as if embedded in a wet place - look at the viewer in... eyes. It's hard to get away from them. These are the eyes of a tired and sensitive man, living an inner life. The actor not only moves the doll and lends her voice, but, like a real nurse, surrounds the old man with care, care, tries to provide him with maximum comfort at all times. You can see that they understand each other perfectly. And they listen to each other, almost always. This “almost” builds the climate. Santiago receives the warmth that more than one sick person can only dream of... The doll lives an almost autonomous life on stage.

Blessed Anna Samolon, Presto Portal

Paweł Kuźma, because it was he who breathed life into Santiago, probably known to all of us, despite being on stage all the time, was the background for such an incredibly developed character. This is by no means a metaphor! Santiago despite being actually “just” a doll, he seems alive, real, really full of emotion.

Laura Lewandowska, UJOT fm