LAILONIA
Opening night: Szczecin, 5th - 6th September 2009
Based on motives from the book "Thirteen Tales from the Kingdom of Lailonia for Adults and Children and other tales" by Leszek Kolakowski.
LAILONIA
based on motives from the book "Thirteen Tales from the Kingdom of Lailonia for Adults and Children and other tales" by Leszek Kolakowski.
The characters from Kolakowski´s tales are afraid of anonymity. They try everything to emphasize their presence, to be noticed, to be distinguished from the crowd, to exist. They believe that once managed to satisfy this desire, they will finally be happy.
Their is a certain similarity between them and the actors incorporating the inhabitants of Lailonia: More and more, they are tempted to "come into existance" on stage. Everybody wants to have his "five minutes", everybody wantshis appearance on stage to be succesful. Everybody wants to be a winner - nobody a loser.
Still the heroes of Kolakowski´s tales do not gain their desired happiness - their actions tend to fail. "Here on earth, there is no success. Certainly, there are some famous people, yet I would insist, that we are all losers", Kolakowski writes. Shall we accept our life as an unavoidable failure? Does that mean that there is no point in making any attempts to fight for one´s own happiness? Do we have any chance to win while tussling with our fate? Do we have any influence on the results?
Kolakowski does not want to answer the question how to live to achieve happiness. In one interview he states: "It´s better to everyone if I accept I will neither be the Pope, nor Greta Garbo, if I know that I´m not perfect and I don`t have to be perfect, if I don`t demand too much from myself, if I enjoy little trivial things, if I`m reconciled to my minor sins and if I`m not unhappy to accept such life." - The journalist askes: "So is that your advice: through mediocrity to a good life?" - "Maybe", Kolakowski replies, "But I don`t want to advise anyone. I`m just saying what seems useful to me."
The spectacle has won the XVIII Alternative Theatre Meetings 'Klamra' 2010 in Toruń.
Adapted and directed by: Mateusz Przyłęcki.
Dramaturgical consultations by: Dorota Semenowicz.
Costumes by: Wanda Kowalska.
Performed by: Kana theater.
Cast: Bibianna Chimiak, Karolina Sabat, Tomasz Grygier, Dariusz Mikuła, Waldemar Nicek, Hubert Romanowski, Piotr Starzyński; guests: Anna Witczak (akordeon).
There are fragments of traditional compositions used in the performance by Anny Witczak, Daniel Kaczmarczyk i Piotr Rejdak; as well as fragments of the following pieces: Louis Armstrong "What a wonderful world" (performed by Rod Stewart); Massive Attack "Everywhen"
Photos: Karolina Machowicz.
We thank Ula Ślusarczyk i Olga Madej for their help!
