Terrible Manor

The first patriotic horror in history, an opera of horror, a national spiritualist seance, a museum of Polish martyrology, in which family portraits and souvenirs come to life and frighten. After one of the many wars in defense of his homeland, Zbigniew returns home. His older brother Stefan, a veteran and Polish teacher, is waiting on the spot. In addition to him, there are also Swordsman, his daughter — a virgin on the edition, Klucznik, Czesnikova and an old maid. A heavy gate protects against enemy encroachment, everything is as in a real Polish court. With the difference that everyone here is dead.

Apart from Moniuszko's arias and ensembles, the actors and actresses do not utter a single word, leading the audience through the grisly beautiful museum of Polish suffering. What scares today in the “Terrible Manor”? Is a society with the experience of war recorded in its genotype capable of creating defense mechanisms against today's threats? What are we so afraid of?

For a long time there has not been a spectacle in Poland that so strongly and wisely deconstructs national myths. The classic opera becomes a true horror, in which native ghosts and ghosts march through the stage, and wartime trumtatorship, reckless heroism, bidding on suffering, are unsparingly exposed and sometimes even ridiculed on the verge of grotesque. The march of the evils is driven by Moniuszko's processed music, the set design is a graveyard of very Polish artifacts, and the cast boldly crosses the boundaries between acting and performance.

GULDA RECOMMENDS

“Family in the Theater” is an event for families who want to explore the theater together. We invite adults to the performance, and children to theater workshops.

The event was created with parents and carers in mind who want to go to the Old Theatre but are having a hard time finding childcare.

While adults watch the performance, children take part in theater and art workshops.

Classes are conducted by experienced educators and artists. We provide care and a safe, inspiring space to play and act.

We invite children aged 5-9 years to participate in the workshop.

Ticket price for the workshop: 15 PLN

Number of seats: 12

25 October (Sunday), 4 p.m., Modrzejewska Hall and BE Zone

For adults: the play “Scary Manor” directed by Anna Obszańska

For children: theater workshop “Journey to Straszydvor”

The theater is a place of encounter with mystery, fun, and sometimes also with fears. During the workshop, children will build the Scarecrow themselves, create its mysterious corners and fill them with invented characters.

Meeting place for workshops: Zone BE

Reservation of seats

To attend the event, book a ticket for the performance and a ticket for a workshop for the child. For parents and guardians we have reserved a special pool of tickets.

Places from this pool for the performance “I have something in my depth unimaginable. Hamlet” are reserved until September 4.

Places for the performance “Scary Manor” are reserved until September 30.

Do you already have a ticket? Contact us to enroll your child for the workshop.

Write an email: katarzyna.peplinska-pietrzak@stary.pl

Call or send SMS: 504 859 246

The workshop regulations are available on our website.

We ask that children be comfortably dressed and bring their favorite drinks and snacks with them.

Rules of the event Rules of the event Family in the theater

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IMPORTANT:

Sensory stimuli and sensitive content

Click here and in the file you will find detailed information about the potentially sensitive content and sensory stimuli present in the performance.

Note: The description may contain spoilers for some scenes.

Horrible Manor — Program

Awards and Festivals:

○ Best directing for Anna Obszańska | in the BEST 2024/2025 list according to TEATR Monthly

○ Best choreography for Anna Obszańska | in the BEST 2024/2025 list according to TEATR Monthly

○ Best scenography for Jan Baszak | in the BEST 2024/2025 list according to TEATR Monthly

○ Best costumes for Mateusz Jagodziński | in the BEST 2024/2025 list according to TEATR Monthly

○ 12th Wybrzeże Sztuki Festival, Gdańsk — 2025

○ 46th Performance Song Review, Wroclaw — 2026