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Wroclaw Mime Theatre, Poland

Sylwia Śmigiel
Contact
Telephone: 
(+48) 071 337 21 03, fax: (+48) 071 337 21 04
Videos

Wrocławski Teatr Pantomimy / Wrocław Mime Theatre // taniec_PL / dance_PL 2012

Description
Information about institution: 

The Wroclaw Mime Theatre was established in 1956 by Henryk Tomaszewski  who acted as both artistic director and general manager of the theatre. The uniqueness of the theatre has been Tomaszewski’s studio system for teaching a total mime. The search for the truth of movement and finding new ways of expression facilitated the creation of a choreodrama, rich scenography and musical shows.

An uncanny director’s visions combined with the programmes authored by Tomaszewski began bearing fruits to the theatre in the country and abroad. They have been granted prizes at international festivals.

The current programme of the theatre focuses mainly on the widely understood physical theatre, enriching the pantomime itself with various theatrical conventions. The Theatre organises classes for young students so that they can learn the physical Wrocław Mime theatre tradition.

The current general director of the theatre is Zbigniew Szymczyk. Deputy director, artistic director - Marek Oleksy. Ensamble: Artur Borkowski, Agnieszka Charkot, Izabela Cześniewicz, Agnieszka Dziewa, Maria Grzegorowska, Paulina Jóźwin, Mateusz Kowalski, Agnieszka Kulińska, Anna Nabiałkowska, Aneta Piorun, Radomir Piorun, Monika Rostecka-Komorowska, Krzysztof Roszko, Mariusz Sikorski, Katarzyna Sobiszewska, Krzysztof Szczepańczyk, Robert Wieczorek

Education:

Mime art open workshops

Henryk Tomaszewski and his actors have created a series of mime workshops for children, teenagers and adults interested in the theatre of movements, especially the traditional Polish mime art.

The multiple session workshops comprise a series of intense lessons on how to develop ones body’s plasticity and how to gain the awareness of a scene’s space. The broad variety of activities offered gives the participants the opportunity to get acquainted with many aspects of working with their body. The workshops are intended for beginners, but those already experienced in the field of the theatre of movements may benefit from participating.

The workshops are run by present and former actors of the Wrocław Mime Theatre, all longstanding actors and pedagogues. The workshops take place once per month for three days (15 hours).
The theatre also organizes workshops in places outside of the Theatre.
For more information please see: www.pantomima.wroc.pl/edukacja/warsztaty
Contact: [email protected]

The Mime Studio

The Mime Studio was established in December 2009 at The Wrocław Mime Theatre of Henryk Tomaszewski.

It aims to educate mime artists. The schedule contains a specific body training programme (movement plasticity, acrobatics, classical and modern dance, Meyerhold biomechanics) and will teach mime art techniques.

The classes take place every Monday, Wednesday and Friday 15.00-18.00 p.m. at The Wrocław Mime Theatre, Aleja Dębowa St. 16, Wrocław.
Find more: www.pantomima.wroc.pl/edukacja/warsztaty
Contact: [email protected]

The most important projects: 

Current repertoire:

  • "Galapagos" (dir. Aleksander Sobiszewski; the premiere on 14 December 2007);
  • "Gastronomy" (dir. Aleksander Sobiszewski; the premiere on 22 August 2008);
  • "The Judgement" (dir. Jerzy Kalina/Paweł Passini/Leszek Mądzik; the premiere on 19 March 2010);
  • "Stazione Termini" (dir. Marek Oleksy; the premiere on 22 October 2011);
  • "Microcosm" (dir. Konrad Dworakowski; the premiere on 2 September 2011);
  • "Paper hunters" (dir. Zbigniew Szymczyk; the premiere on 10 October 2011);
  • "The House of Bernarda Alba" (dir. Zbigniew Szymczyk; the premiere on 4 Mai 2012);
The most important awards: 

Awards:

The "Gold penny" (Polkowice days of theater 2012) - for the " The judgment" (directed by Leszek Mądzik)

Henryk Tomaszewski (20.11.1919 - 23.09.2001) – dancer, mime artist, choreographer, director, pedagogue, founder and director of The Wrocław Mime Theater. He graduated from the Drama Studio of Iwo Gall. He has cooperated with the Polish Academic Theatre and the Wrocław Opera House. He has directed in theatres of Sweden, Norway, Germany and the Italian La Scala.

Other: 

Quote no. 1:
"The movement is the affirmation of life. Movement means life to me, thus I think that movement mirrors my life. It broadens my own existence, generalizes, but at the same time sums it up. It all forces me to pay the most attention to movement – I build my theatre via movement."

Quote no. 2:
"Modern art is in fact the example of a word devaluation. It becomes a slur, losing its main purpose as a means of communication. The artists become as if embarrassed or mortified when they need to act the real emotions using the word. Yet people have not stopped to feel. (…) Here appears the movement – a means of communication that does not fear what the words dread to show."

Quote no. 3:
"Movement is a conflict of a scenic persona with the surroundings, like in the everyday life we deal with the conflict of a person and the outer world, including time. (…) The movement transforms the world, subdues it – at least it attempts to do it. The least complicated moves can create the drama performed by a person: the ceaseless struggle, undying struggle for life that is motionless. Therefore, mime can end up either dead, or with a new opportunity for a move."
Source: "Henryk Tomaszewski, Rozmowy o dramacie. Tomaszewskiego teatr ruchu" Andrzej Hausbrandt, Dialog, XIV, no. 10 (162), page 119-125.

 

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