Year 2007
Planet 2
“Between late 2006 and early 2007, Brama independently organized a large international project from the Youth Program, Planet 2, held in Pobierowo and Szczecin. It was a continuation of workshops initiated in July 2006 in Germany. The project involved groups from five countries: Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Spain, and Germany. Participants collaborated on themes from Gulliver’s Travels, celebrated New Year’s Eve together at Kana, and co-created a final performance, which was staged at the Contemporary Theatre in Szczecin.” (Marta Poniatowska, Droga Bramy, p.173)
This marked Brama’s first international exchange project organized without the support of the Goleniów Cultural Center. The experiences gained became the foundation for the theatre’s subsequent work and were the first step towards full independence from city institutions.
Brama Theatre Center in Srebrna Góra
Brama began collaborating with the Chorea Theatre, and Daniel developed a friendship with Tomasz Rodowicz, who encouraged him to contact Marek Janikowski from Srebrna Góra. Thus began the journey. The group felt they had the opportunity to create in their own space, to start fresh, and take on new challenges. They were offered the chance to establish their own headquarters in Srebrna Góra, but despite the excitement, it wasn’t an easy decision. The theatre, which still wanted to stay close to Goleniów, now faced a move 400 km away. After the initial thrill came fear, yet Daniel saw it as an opportunity for Brama and decided not to give up. Julia Chabraszewska and Paweł Danilewicz chose to relocate and continue working with Brama.
For the group, Srebrna Góra became a utopia, a promised land. Weekends, vacations, and holidays were spent there, fueled by fresh energy and the mission to build a second Goleniów. Brama’s initial activities in Srebrna Góra were under the name Artistic Summer Village of Lower Silesia. Later, the group began organizing events and operating as the Brama Theatre Center.
In August, Brama hosted a Polish-German project, Eurotime, inspired by H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine. The partner was the German Bruckhausen Theatre. Brama’s presence in the town was noticeable, as most workshops were conducted outdoors, and their workspaces—the Brama Theatre Center and an old church building—were centrally located, allowing anyone to observe their process.
To carry out project activities, participants often sought help from local villagers, which fostered trust and encouraged them to see the project’s final results. Eurotime also allowed the theatre to invite friends, including Arti Grabowski and the band Lovers of Space.
“We ended up in Srebrna Góra thanks to Tomek Rodowicz. He suggested I meet Marek Janikowski, the mayor of Stoszowice Municipality. We were given the former Cultural Center building to run. Even the BRAMAT Festival was moved to Srebrna Góra, with audiences from Goleniów arriving by bus.” (Daniel Jacewicz, 25.08.2020)
Leaving Goleniów – Conflict with City Authorities
Shortly after the first Łaknienia festival, Daniel Jacewicz decided to leave Goleniów. After ten years of theatre in the city, Brama’s story there was ending due to a sudden conflict with city authorities and the Goleniów Cultural Center. It was a challenging time for Brama, as everyone felt lost and had to adapt to a new city.
While breaking ties with Goleniów, the theatre still aimed to stay close, running projects in places like Strzelewo and Szczecin. In late spring 2006, Daniel moved to Szczecin and began working at the Kana Theatre. Brama participated in Kana’s projects, including the Festival of Street Artists, a large site-specific project, and the source edition of the OKNO festival.
Premiere – Us
The final presentation of the Eurotime project was also the first public showing of Us, a play that would become one of the most groundbreaking works in Brama Theatre’s history. This was the theatre’s first fully original, ensemble-created performance built within a consciously rhythmic and movement-based structure.
The cast included: Szymon Lechwar, Maciej Ratajczyk, Dominik Murach, Dorota Ziemińska, Kinga Bińkowska, Marcin Styborski, and Ola Nykowska. Despite being developed in Srebrna Góra, the premiere on September 8, 2007, at the Music Club Rampa, was very much a Brama Theatre of Goleniów production.
Us was inspired by the young actors’ personal experiences and aimed to be a voice for the performers. It also marked the first performance where song and music played a vital role. The play established the “soul” of Brama, a specific aesthetic and impact that defined the group’s future work. Us served as a prelude to Feeling in Sound, arguably the group’s most recognizable piece.
Despite promises that Us was “forever,” life dictated otherwise. Personal changes and new challenges led to its final performance in 2012.
“For me, the play was a testament to the pursuit of purpose. The play itself became that pursuit.” (Daniel Jacewicz, 25.08.2020)
- First performance: August 17, 2007
- Final performance: July 6, 2012
- Total performances: 45
VIII BRAMAT Festival
From September 11–15, 2007, the eighth BRAMAT Theatre Meetings took place, the only edition held outside Goleniów and its surroundings. Transport was organized for the faithful Goleniów audience to Srebrna Góra, where a busload of Brama enthusiasts attended.
Participants included: Chorea Theatre, Janusz Stolarski, Robert Paluchowski (Realist Theatre), Body Snatchers Theatre, Muflasz Group, Tetraedr Theatre, Krzyk Theatre, Brama Theatre, and music groups Kałe Bała, Puczini, Dikanda, and Jesienni Przyjaciele.
The festival finale, Play, ended in media controversy after the mayor of Ząbkowice Śląskie felt offended by the “villager-like energy” in Brama’s version of the drama. This sparked a months-long dispute, but Brama received significant support, including from Professor Anna Wyka, a sociologist specializing in Polish alternative culture.
Brama Theatre in Chicago – Artistic Residency
Following an invitation from Free Street Theatre, Daniel Jacewicz spent four months in the U.S., accompanied by Mariusz Tarnożek. Together with their hosts, they worked on the play Had Enough, which premiered on February 16, 2008.
They collaborated with Chopin Theatre, participated in a charity concert for Polish singer Katarzyna Sobczyk, prepared a televised Christmas carol concert for Polvision, and performed a traditional Polish carol concert with a local choir.
During this trip, Daniel met Jennifer Crissey, an American of Polish descent, who later joined Brama Theatre full-time in 2010. Jennifer brought creativity and determination to the group, strengthening the theatre’s organizational and artistic framework. She has since played a pivotal role in managing international projects and performing with the ensemble.
Statistics:
- Events: 18
- Performances: 23 (Us: 7, Play: 4, others: 3)
- Concerts: 3 (Song Concert: 2)
- Other: 10 (Circus Shows: 9)