The Almighty on the Net

“Almighty on the Net” is the third, after “We, the children of the ZOO station” and “Boosters. Seven Steps to Nowhere”, a missionary performance of the Kamienica Theater, realized with young people in mind. The play addresses the very current problem of violence in cyberspace and shows the consequences that should be spoken out loud. Very loud. The creators offer young viewers an emotional and provocative conversation about themselves, definitely going beyond moralizing tones. During the performance, the actors will put the audience in the role of both victim and perpetrator, prompting reflection and asking themselves many, often uncomfortable questions.

“The Almighty in the Network” is another project of the creators of the show “Boosters. Seven degrees to nowhere”, a continuation of a format that has received great recognition from both young people and adults. The show, like “Boosters”, has a modern character with elements of interaction with the viewer and the use of multimedia.

The play “The Almighty in the Web” is addressed to young people over 13 years old. Spectators between the ages of 11 and 13 may participate in the performance only with the written consent of their parents/guardians.

Duration of the show: 60 minutes without a break.
Please note that strobe lights are used during the performance.

We kindly inform you that the sale of group tickets (more than 15 seats) for performances played from Monday to Friday in the morning is carried out by contacting the Group Reservations Office.
We are implementing the project “Class in Warsaw. Warsaw with class.”

Wawrzyniec Kostrzewski does not hide that he made a didactic and educational performance, the purpose of this project is obvious, which does not mean that we are dealing with a work that cannot be evaluated on the basis of its purely theatrical or aesthetic qualities. The director, already experienced in this type of activity, knows perfectly well who he wants to talk to, what group he wants to reach, what tools to use so that the show encourages a wise discussion and reaches the largest possible group of young viewers with its message, that is, so that it does not end only with a mentor statement about what a bad world we have come to live in. Dramatically, the thing is constructed very interestingly, written down to the voices of three characters, who in a space enclosed by three screens not only monologues, but also enter into a lively dialogue with each other. There is also the character of the mother, as interpreted by Justyna Sieńczyłło, appearing on the screen. It is a clear counterpoint that gives us a strong context to reflect also on how alienated and helpless we are in inflammatory situations triggered by virtual-technological confusion that tempts us with ever new possibilities of unlimited interference in the lives of others.

(...) It is worth emphasizing that dealing with online hate should not be limited to school conversations, this problem should be addressed systemically. Teenagers leave the show shaken, nodding their heads excitedly when asked if cyberbullying is actually affecting their environment to such a literal extent (...) The management of the Kamienica Theater undertook a very difficult attempt to raise the issue of hate on the Internet. A sense of mission, however, does not allow them to pass by this phenomenon indifferently.

This is a story about hate on the internet. History is based on facts. The show perfectly portrays the reality in which many young people live. This reality is likes, stories, snaps. We liked the art very much, the first comments of our pupils said clearly “This is our world, this is our life.” We recommend everyone to watch this show, for sure it will be remembered for a long time.

The show is still in me. This story still lives in its rhythm, it is filled with thoughts, somewhere in the depths of my mind I am subjecting the piece to analysis (...) The performance interacts on at least three planes, these are: content, visual sphere and, of course, this acting (...) The actors are fully in their characters, they perfectly convey emotions, at times they conduct a dialogue with the young viewer. In terms of workshops, there is no one to distinguish, all great (...) To sum up, the show undoubtedly makes you think, does not leave indifferent.

Praise the Tenement House for creating a space for conversation. And compliments to Kostrzewski that, as a racial intellectual, he was not ashamed to reach for a socially compelling, hot topic. He gave it a pulsating form with colors and sounds. We are immediately dazzled by imagination, art and music. Ba, we want to laugh at first, because the world of online reactions and plays is presented in the tone of scathing satire. Kostrzewski appears here as an efficient listener of what is on the street, in the subway, in the premises. A quick laugh, however, is in our throats (...) And why is it a phenomenon? Because although the goal is declared, we have a much less exalted pathology here than in “artistic” performances. For this there is something elusive.

Prevention in a different way - without moralizing, emotionally and provocatively - so current problem of cyberbullying and online hate speech is shown by the play “Almighty in the Web” in Warsaw's Kamienica Theater (...)

“The show is worth watching because it carries an important message for everyone. The show is very touching, it shows how insensitive the world of internet and hate can be.” (Lidka)

“... discusses the content that is important today, shows what hate is and instructs you not to hate or laugh at others on the Internet, because that can end in tragedy...” (Simon)

It is about the perpetrators and victims of online violence — young girls and boys who can't stand the pressure, give up and sometimes shorten their suffering with a tragic suicide attempt. Kostrzewski tells about this convincingly, using real examples and portraying young people who treat the web as a territory of their absolute power. The performance exposes this authority by opening the field for self-reflection — evidence of this can be found on... the internet, where signals appear from young viewers who are impressed by the spectacle they have watched.

The young actors (Maria Sobocińska and Marcin Stępniak) assisted by Olga Sarzyńska do well in the network environment created on the stage — a kind of acting gem is created by Justyna Sieńczyłło (on the video) in the poignant role of a suicidal mother who could not stand the internet hate.

Łukasz Wojtasik from the Give Children Strength Foundation emphasizes that the latest performance of the Kamienica Theatre has been dressed in an attractive form for young people. There is no moralizing here, a look on the part of adult omniscient adults. On the contrary. Young people encounter a world they know, a world that is authentic. The show has a modern character with elements of interaction with the viewer and the use of multimedia.

The Kamienica Theatre closed a triptych of excellent, wise and extremely necessary performances, touching on the most current problems of children and young people. All of them are in the current repertoire of the theater. The first was “Children of the Zoo Station”. To the other: “Boosters. Seven degrees to nowhere.” They are complemented by a performance, which premiered on October 7, 2019, entitled: “The Almighty in the Web” by and directed by Wawrzyńec Kostrzewski. The title itself makes it clear what is the main theme of the show. There is no surprise here. It's hiding somewhere else. I suppose there are few people in the audience who are prepared for what awaits them. Exquisite, terrifying spectacle. It should be an absolute mandatory item for schools, introduced compulsorily into curricula.

As an Observer, I have a hint for those who might be hesitant. This is not Wańkowicz's “didactic stench”! It is a dynamic, engaging viewer, many times excellent work, in which the highest marks deserve: theme, text (dialogues and monologues), dramatic construction, acting (at the premiere were: Katarzyna Ucherska, Olga Sarzyńska and Marcin Stępniak), music (Piotr Łabonarski), multimedia visualization (Maria Matylda-Maria Matylda-Maria Matylda-Wojciechowska). A separate mini-masterpiece was created on the screen by Justyna Sieńczyłło. All these elements add up and together form a spectacle that I highly recommend to everyone, regardless of age and gender, but especially to those who have contact whether professional, family, or friendly with young or very young people. I advise you to see “The Almighty on the Net”, and you will notice and hopefully understand a great deal of the behavior of your wards. I do not mention the need for young people to see the spectacle, because it is “obvious”.