Performance “Robot” | Poland / Chile
Creators: Unia Teatr Niemożliwy
Text: David Zuazola
Direction: Marek b.Chodaczyński
Music: Marek Żurawski, David Zuazola
Scenography and dolls: David Zuazola
Adaptation: David Zuazola, Marek b.Chodaczyński
Cast: David Zuazola
Performance co-financed by the Capital City of Warsaw and the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage
Premiere: September 21, 2020
Date: 26.08.2023 / Saturday
Time: 5 pm
Place: Room A_22, Art_Inkubator in Art Factory in Lodz
Tickets: 35 PLN (reduced) / 45 PLN (regular)
Tickets purchase: from July 21, 2023 / via kicket.com portal (online payment) / at the festival office (payment in cash and by card)
Duration: 65 minutes (no intermissions)
Viewers' age: 16+
Performance in Polish.
After the event we invite the viewers to a meeting and discussion with the artists.
The discussion will be held in Polish.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PERFORMANCE
"Robot" is a story about friendship, values and sensitivity, also about authoritarianism and intolerance. In this story the titular Robot personifies all who are different, who escapes what many call "normal". Those unprivileged, diverse, rare, older, orphans, immigrants, homeless...
It is a story about humanity, love and hope. It has captivated spectators all around the world. "Robot" has been played in different countries: Bosnia Herzegovina, Montenegro, Spain, Israel, South Korea, Portugal, Romania, Hungary, Italy. The performance is a co-production of Unia Teatr Niemożliwy / Impossible Theatre Union (Poland) and David Zuazola (Chile/Spain).
Can a robot have feelings, enjoy nature, make friendships? Will people decide in the near future that robots pose a threat and they should be isolated and annihilated in special facility? Or maybe the story is not only about artificial intelligence, and the plot is not necessarily placed in the future?
"Robot" is a performance prepared mostly from recycled objects. As usual with David Zuazola, mechanisms, scenery and interesting characters inhabit a different and special world, far from conventionalism, with strong stories full of humanity.
FRAGMENTS OF REVIEWS
“This is a story about dictatorship and a lack of tolerance, it is a never-ending story pertaining to several places on the Globe, including David Zuazola’s homeland - Chile, which was destroyed by Pinochet in the past. This story will leave you speechless… The scene where the girl and the robot behind the barbed wire are trying to get closer to one another, lend a hand but cannot because they might be electrocuted or treated with a bust from a machine gun can easily be associated with…
Zuazola makes the whole machine running with methods known only to himself - buttons, strings, sticks, by means of which he animates every move of the main protagonists (a wonderful scene of the main female character sliding on the bed to finally sit in the wheelchair). And so the story goes for 60 minutes in a setting and time that is undefined where the politicians decided to eliminate the robots thinking independently - throw them away into the rubbish chute or to be scrapped. Survivors ended up at a concentration camp which was with time turned into a museum. The robot and the disabled girl that is on the other side of the wire enter into a deep friendship. Silently they uplift and support one another. After some time the robot escapes from the camp, however in vain as the rulers have got a different plan. The finale is tragic. “
(Monika Żmijewska, “Wyborcza.pl”, September 12, 2021)
INFORMATION ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Marek b.Chodaczyński - the founder and the chairmen of the association of Unia Teatr Niemożliwy, since 1996. The winner of individual prizes (Grand Prix Kontrapunkt, Łódzkie Spotkania Teatralne, KON-TEKSTY Poland, „Spectaculo Interesse” Czech Republic), as well as group prizes with Unia Teatr Niemożliwy. The jury member of international theatre and film festivals. The winner of a special award granted by the Minister of Culture and three times granted the scholarship of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. Awarded with: silver and bronze Medal for the Merit to Culture - Gloria Artis, the medals of 50th anniversary of POLUNIMA - Polish Puppet Centre, and 100th anniversary of Polish Actors Association for “The Distinguished member of the Polish Actors Association”. In the years 2011 and 2015 the president of POLUNIMA - Polish Puppet Centre of the International Puppeteers Association.
David Zuazola Abarca - a director, stage designer, actor, playwright, musician and puppeteer. An author of the method based on processing of the recycled materials, broken toys, electric motors, fabrics, wood and metal for the purpose of theatre art. He created a “Dirty Wing” performance based on that method. With that performance he was invited to festivals all over the world. He gained recognition staging his performances in Poland, Macedonia, Montenegro and Korea. He has collaborated with the prestigious Italian theatre group „Scarlattine Teatro” where he presented his first project as an author, actor and a puppeteer - i.e. „Cupid is a joke”. In 2017 he created „The Game of Time”, a performance which gained him prizes at 13 international theatre festivals. He has been closely cooperating with Unia Teatr Niemożliwy Theatre since 2019.
Marek Żurawski - a composer, developed music for theatre performances in Poland, France, Spain, Belarus and Russia. Since 1990’s he has been conducting Electronic Orchestra Sound Lab, his own creation. A member of the editorial team of “PRESTO” quarterly musical magazine. A member of the Polish section of Union Internatinale de la Marionnette (UNIMA), the jury member at various international puppet festivals. The winner of multiple awards: the Decoration of Honour Meritorious for Polish Culture, the Bronze Medal for Merit to Culture - Gloria Artis.
LINKS
- https://uniateatrniemozliwy.pl/spektakle/robot/
- https://youtu.be/u01OLAApo1o
- https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=4965048040202965
