Program assumptions

Classical drama – because it’s been here since forever and will remain permanently. From Mickiewicz’s Forefathers to Apuleius’ Metamorphoses and the plays of Euripides.

Classical drama – because we persisted and remained faithful to the supposedly obsolete aristotelian poetics of theatre. We proved it was cool and full of perspective.

Dance – because, just as music, it is a reflection of the movement of the spheres.

Dance – because it is heaven’s gift.

Thus says the Hindu tradition.

Today, we evoke this tradition of dance as the “cosmic act of divine creation” (rather than the similarly metaphysical, yet intuitively more familiar biblical and Ancient Greek tradition), inspired by the presence of Debjaya Sarkar.

Artificial Intelligence, chatbots, “Ey Ai” – because they are inevitable.

As if they were a divine punishment.

Theatre should be at the forefront of technology when it comes to human beings creatively guiding the “manufactured beings” towards their ethical goals.

After all, this is what theatre did with ghosts, demons, spectres, straw men and djinns – hence, it ought to find its way with “A-ee I-ee”, too.

May you all happily generate hope.

We need it today.

Staniewski