info

translation by Jacek Poniedziałek

direction: Krzysztof Warlikowski
set design: Małgorzata Szczęśniak
music: Paweł Mykietyn
lighting design: Felice Ross
film: Paweł Łoziński

cast: Stanisława Celińska / Małgorzata Rożniatowska, Małgorzata Hajewska-Krzysztofik, Maja Ostaszewska / Magdalena Cielecka, Anna Radwan-Gancarczyk, Danuta Stenka, Marek Kalita, Redbad Klijnstra, Paweł Kruszelnicki, Zygmunt Malanowicz, Adam Nawojczyk, Jacek Poniedziałek, Miron Hakenbeck

Hanoch Levin's Krum's leading character returns to his home city, where he is welcomed by his mother, friends and all the society. But the world he faces is afflicted with some kind of paralysis. As if the reality he's returning to ceased moving in expectance of something to finally make it's sense, to unleash a course of events. And so it happens, but the characters' actions are chaotic and awaken life is temporary, based on recurrent rhythm of births, weddings and funerals. Krum seems to be most passive of all characters. Somebody else is getting married, somebody else dies, somebody else takes a trip. Maybe this way the different variants of his life do fulfil. Set as a spectator temporary suspending his identity and totally putting in the illusion, Krum as in the dream observes prepared in the form of theatrical performance, catalogue of his own dreams and fears.

Hanoch Levin (1943-1999), born in Tel-Aviv, is considered one of most interesting Israel playwriters. He has studied Philosophy and Hebrew literature at university in Tel-Aviv.
Most of over fifty of his plays has been presented both in Israel and during international theatre festivals. His writings include comedies, tragedies and satirical pieces as well as novels, poetry and children literature. Levin has directed most of his own plays. His writing career has began from poetry, but he become famous for his serie of satirical programs You and Me, and Next War (1968).
Levin has worked for years in Cameri Theatre in Tel-Aviv as the dramaturge. He stage directed in City Theatre in Haifa and in Han Theatre in Jerusalem. His plays has been awarded both in Israel an abroad, including award during prestigious Edinburgh Festival.
His most popular plays include: Krum (1975), Yisorei Iyov (1981), Melechet Hachaim (1989), Hazona Meohio (1996) and Murder (1997).

co-produced by TR Warszawa and Stary Teatr in Kraków

premiered: 3 March 2005 TR Warszawa
          12 March 2005 Stary Teatr w Krakowie

approximate running time: 2 hour 45 min. (no intermission)