2003
The pre-premiere of Gas took place in August 2003 in Strzelewo, at the so-called Helandówka. Official premiere performances were held in Goleniów on September 13 of the same year and on September 28 in Sopot. The play won the Grand Prix at the National Festival of Student Theaters in Gdańsk and First Prize at the Łódź Theater Meetings. The script by Szymon Wróblewski was based on the events of October 23, 2002, when a group of Chechen terrorists attacked the Dubrovka Theater in Moscow, demanding an end to the war in Chechnya and the withdrawal of Russian troops. The siege of the building, which held approximately 900 people, lasted five days and ended with a storming operation by Russian forces. The assault was preceded by the use of a paralytic gas, which, combined with a brutally executed rescue operation, resulted in the deaths of 300 people. All 32 members of the terrorist group, most of whom were under 20 years old, were either killed by the gas or shot.
Wróblewski set the Dubrovka events in ancient Rome, with the terrorists portrayed as Spartans opposing the Roman Empire. The play was directed by Daniel Jacewicz and Ewa Ignaczak from the Stajnia Pegaza Theater in Sopot. Cast: Alina Czyżewska, Zuzanna Wojciszke, Paweł Danilewicz, Krystian Godlewski, Marek Kościółek, and Mariusz Tarnożek. Musical arrangements for the performance were provided by Jacek Ozimek.
The play was not presented under theater names; instead, the name “Action Zygmunt” was devised, referencing Strzelewo, where the production originated. For Brama, it was the first co-production with another theater. The meeting in Strzelewo also marked Brama’s encounter with song, as singing in the fields and barn began a new musical adventure. (Daniel Jacewicz)
Playwright on Gas: “When writing this play, I wanted to confront the essence of theater. My goal was to dissolve the barrier between the traditionally perceived audience and the actors playing roles. Starting this work, I aimed to show the tragedy of people trapped in the Dubrovka Theater — they came to see a musical, pure entertainment, but were forced to participate in a tragedy where every wrong decision could mean death. This inspired the idea of combining the form of an ancient tragedy with contemporary events.” (expressed by the author in an email to Daniel Jacewicz)
- First performance: 02.08.2003
- Last performance: 30.06.2004
- Number of performances: 18
Fifth BRAMAT Festival
The Chekhov Jubilee was Brama’s first attempt to create a theatrical production “by the book.” After initial spontaneous performances, there arose a need for true theatrical craftsmanship. The rehearsals were challenging, as this type of work didn’t come naturally to the actors. However, it yielded decidedly positive results, primarily in improving acting skills and acquiring substantive theatrical knowledge useful for future projects.
The premiere featured Julia Chabraszewska, Anna Pawel (later replaced by Alina Czyżewska and Malwina Szwaczyk), Paweł Danilewicz, and Marek Kościółek. The production did not resemble the alternative, young engaged theater. Looking back, it was an excellent exercise in working on details. We built roles with great precision, thereby developing our theatrical craftsmanship. (Daniel Jacewicz, 24.08.2020)
- Last performance: 2010
- First performance: 02.07.2002
- Last performance: 24.04.2010
- Number of performances: 15
Action “Wiśniewski”
In 2003, Goleniów residents witnessed a performance action by Marek Kościółek (then an actor in the Brama Theater). Kościółek, in agreement with Daniel Jacewicz, decided to impersonate Michał Wiśniewski, the leader of the then-popular band Ich Troje. Residents were informed via word of mouth that Wiśniewski was coming to Goleniów and that the event would take place in the now-defunct Labyrinth club. A crowd of fans and onlookers gathered to meet the “singer,” and Marek (perfectly disguised) handed out autographs and gave several interviews to the press.
This “prank” became something more — it is shown at Krakow’s Academy of Fine Arts as an example of “radical social performance.”
“For this action, we rented a limousine, and we all looked like celebrities. I remember the moment we arrived at the Labyrinth club. We were in the limo, and suddenly we saw hundreds of people waiting for their idol. Michał Wiśniewski was at the peak of his fame then. At first, we froze. We were scared and had moral doubts about whether we were doing the right thing. On the one hand, we felt like we were deceiving people; on the other, we believed we were opening their eyes to blind devotion. Many people were offended by us. It was an ACTION!” (Daniel Jacewicz, 24.08.2020)
Statistics:
Events: 41
- Performances: Fun – 16, Jubilee – 5, Gas – 8, Notes of a Red Army Officer – 4, Curse – 4, Episode on Death – 2
- Concerts: Actor’s Song Contest “Love Will Forgive Us All” – 2