UNDERWATER STORY comes to the surface!
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POLSKI
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24. 06. 2021. Department
Acting

A graduation show by students of the Acting Department of the Łódź Film School, directed by Wojciech Kościelniak. PREMIERE June 25 and 26 at the Studyjny Theatre! UNSINKABLE!

Unsinkable! UNDERWATER STORY comes to the surface!

The work of one of the most important Polish artists of the 1980s became a source of inspiration for the emergence of UNDERWATER STORY - the latest diploma of the Łódź Film School Acting Department students. The show, directed by Wojciech Kościelniak, refers to the first solo, original album of Lech Janerka, recorded after his departure from the group Klaus Mitffoch in 1986, which reflects the moods anticipating the end of People's Poland. The script is built on the notes of many years of creativity of the Polish music scene icon.

"The show tells about the world that we tried to learn from the songs of Lech Janerka. The story of man's troubles with himself, suffering related to various totalitarian systems that man imposes on himself. History comes full circle. This is its cruel quality. Today, when I look at what is happening outside the window, I have the impression that in many aspects I returned to the times of People's Republic of Poland and that is why the songs of Lech Janerka are still very current". - says the director.

How do metaphors work nowadays, which over the years had built a rebellious identity of an individual in a clash with an oppressive system? The actresses and actors of UNDERWATER STORY face the difficult challenge of presenting the essence of FREEDOM on stage with all the historical baggage of experiences described in Janerka's songs, but also taking into account the observation of current unrest and socio-political movements. Where are we today? Is it right before the loss of the most precious value? Is this what is happening outside the window a result of choking on freedom or forgetting how important it is?

"Since Janerka's debut, we have experienced a liberation from an oppressive system, then freedom, then choking on it, then a deformation of this freedom, then, what we have now, i.e. a strong direction narrowing this concept down. I hope freedom will erupt again, but I have no illusions that it will not be given to us forever”, adds Wojciech Kościelniak.

The show has a hybrid form. It is based on musical theatre with the use of well-known and less known songs by Lech Janerka. On the other hand, there will be texts written by the director himself, which during rehearsals were creatively modified by the acting team. It was then when the characters, relationships, events and the underwater world emerged - a bit imaginary, a bit metaphorical, a bit real, reflecting reality, but not being reality directly.

UNDERWATER STORY
A musical story based on the songs of Lech Janerka.

Direction and screenplay: Wojciech Kościelniak
Musical direction: Marcin Powalski
Choreography: Barbara Olech
Vocal training: Julia Chmielnik
Costumes and set design: Bożena Ślaga
Light direction: Tadeusz Trylski
Assistant director: Katarzyna Hołyńska
Music band:
Keyboard instruments – Marcin Powalski
Bass guitar - Kamil Guźniczak
Electric guitar – Aleksander Sucharski
Drums – Błażej Kozłowski

Cast (in alphabetical order):
Michał Darewski – GLON
Jakub Dąbrowski – KRAB
Katarzyna Hołyńska – FISHA
Karolina Kostoń – RAFA
Klaudia Koścista – MURENA
Justyna Litwic – PŁETWA/LOLA
Barbara Olszewska – FOKA
Marta Stalmierska – ŁUSKA
Daniel Stanko – OŚĆ
Mikołaj Trynda – POLIP

Premiere: 25, 26 June, at 19:07
TEATR STUDYJNY W ŁODZI
Duration: 2 hours (no intervals)
Graphic designer of the poster, invitations and flyers: Krzysztof KUKI Iwański iwanski.co
Stills: Aleksandra Pawłowska