Events
It is a shocking pamphlet on European standards, Polish European standards inspired by Witkacy’s drama. Witkacy’s Janulka, the Daughter of Fizdejka confronts two civilizations. The neo-Teutonic Knights attempt to conquer the imaginary Lithuania of the 23rd c. The Teutonic Knights are to introduce high culture, but they became barbarians after local people; their crusade turns out to be a total defeat. Klata, a theatre director in his thirties, presents our times from the perspective of his generation, making a perfect use of cultural stereotypes. An introduction of European standards to Poland is conveyed by a figure of a German who is a hybrid of a man featured in the advertisements of Boss suits and cyborg, muddling up philosophy with the names of great corporations, welfare with rudeness. A Pole is presented from a point of view of the Germans – dirty, stinking, drunk, devouring bigos and constantly celebrating his empty national myths, According to Klata joining Europe is a clash of stereotypes, demons of the past and spasms of history. At this new historical moment the Germans and Poles are „two nations locked in one wardrobe with two dead bodies”. Klata’s performance is a spectacular show. The director uses quotations from high and mass culture, shows astonishing associations, and like a virtuoso uses the frightening grotesque of the Witkacy’s provenance, at the same time forcing us to ask a question: is brutishness the only form of new European existence?