Wycinka Holzfällen – Woodcutters

A work of sovereign scope, theatre devoted to the infinite complexity of the human condition. Now in his twilight years, the leading figure of Polish theatre Krystian Lupa, a master and an inspiration for two generations of directors in Eastern Europe, presents his masterpiece.

For this first visit to Canada, he returns to the caustic Austrian writer Thomas Bernhard in a bold amalgam of theatre and cinema presented by actors whose performance rings with resounding truth. A few days after learning of the suicide of a friend, a writer is invited to an artistic dinner with a few oh-so Viennese bourgeois artists, former friends of his. But the air is fraught with the shadow of the dead woman, and he hates these people more than ever. Everything is in place for a merciless settling of scores — does making art demean artists irreparably? Lupa poses the question in dazzling fashion.

Produced by Teatr Polski we Wrocławiu
Written by Thomas Bernhard
Based on translation by Monika Muskała
Adaptation, direction, set and lighting design Krystian Lupa
Performed by Bożena Baranowska + Krzesisława Dubielówna + Jan Frycz + Anna Ilczuk + Michał Opaliński + Marcin Pempuś + Halina Rasiakówna + Piotr Skiba + Ewa Skibińska + Adam Szczyszczaj + Andrzej Szeremeta + Wojciech Ziemiański + Marta Zięba
Costumes Piotr Skiba
Musical arrangements Bogumił Misala

Presented with the support of Adam Mickiewicz Institute (Warsaw)

Written by Paul Lefebvre
Translated from Polish by Joanna Gruda
Translated to English by Neil Kroetsch
Promotional video La Compagnie des Indes