Photo: Andac Karabeyoglu.
In June and July the Pink Mama Theatre, a company founded by dancer and choreographer Sławek Bendrat and actor and director Dominik Krawiecki, now based in Bern, will be touring a few Polish cities with their latest production ‘Dynasty’. In the piece an artificial, modern, and superficially plastic world meets the world of antiquity overcrowded with symbols and mystically. The work takes inspiration from Euripides’ classic drama The Bacchae, Polish folklore, and roofed aqua parks that imitate beaches, seas, and beautiful landscapes bringing to mind Hollywood film sets. Classical pathos juxtaposed with the artificiality and grotesque of holidaying in the city becomes a pretext to talk about some universal issues.
The confrontation of North American folk heritage and ancient Greek traditions is visible both in music and costumes. The title dynasty is the royal family headed by Pentheus, the king of the city of Thebes. The family has also divine credentials, as
the god Dionysus is a member of it. The conflict that unfolds between him Dionysus, who seeks to introduce his orgiastic cult of terror and madness, and king Pentheus, a man of reason and the last righteous one, causes an unavoidable tragedy brought about by god’s will.
The performers are actors and dancers coming from diverse nations and geographical locations, which facilitates a dialogue between different cultures and traditions.
The piece will be shown in Wrocław as part of the 3rd Laboratory of Movement ? European Capital of Culture 2016 (26 June, 7 pm, TO TU, ul. Hubska 6); in Bytom as part of the showcase “it’s not a festival” held at the Rozbark Theatre (28 June, 7 pm, ul. Kilara 29); and at Małopolski Ogród Sztuki in Cracow (3 July, 7 pm, ul. Rajska 12).
Idea, stage direction, scenography, costumes: Sławek Bendrat and Dominik Krawiecki
Choreography: Sławek Bendrat
Dramaturgy: Dominik Krawiecki
Lighting designer: Andac Karabeyoglu
Music arranged by: Jonas Weber
Performers: Sławek Bendrat, Dominik Krawieck, Miryam Garcia Mariblanca, Valentin Markus Oppermann, Tomek Pomersbach, Ahmed Soura, Marek Wieczorek
Production manager: Angelika Rohrer
Duration: 140 minutes with an intermission
Premiere: 20 February 2015, Dampfzentrale Bern, Switzerland
This production is sponsored by Kanton Bern, Stadt Bern.
