Teatr Biuro Podróży is regarded one of the most interesting phenomenon among the so called “searching theatre”. The theatre was founded in Poznań and it had developed overshadowed by the legend of the Teatr Ósmego Dnia. The Group, however, soon evoked interest and genuine acclaim of critics and the audience. After the first performance of Moonsailers – the most recent play by Paweł Szkotak – critics rightly observed that the area of fascination for him is the street. He thinks that the greatest experiences are provided by street performances. Both “Giordano” and “Carmen Funabre” fascinated with the power of poetic impact. They were thrilling stories told in a sincere and wise fashion. Paweł Szkotak’s theatre not only acquired the means of expression characteristic of street theatre but also its specific kind of narration that allows to “leave before the end”.
The recent performance – that for the first time was staged in July 1999 – was almost immediately proclaimed an event. Roman Pawłowski observes: The style of a great show based on the graphic sign and the poetry of a poster is more mature now, and so is acting which links circus skills (the actors use 3 meters long crutches – the longest in this part of the world) with the body language out of the contemporary dance. The perfect craftsmanship is not the only element of the performance that should be admired. The screenplay is equally fascinating. Szkotak has made a play about the end of the 10th century utopia which connected the future happiness of mankind with technical progress, the invention of electricity, wireless telegraph and steam engine. It is a play about the end of a happy world of Julius Verne destroyed in the Battle of Verdum.