Sienkiewicz the loved and Sienkiewicz the cursed. Killed so many times, seemingly dead, yet still alive. The greatest – next to Jan Matejko – architect of our national imagination. The creator of the most eagerly followed Polish series of the 19th century. The chapters and episodes published in newspapers impressed us with their vision and grandeur like “Game of Thrones”, thrilled us like “The Slave Isaura”, entertained and horrified us like “The Walking Dead”, and forever gave us a perspective on the historical events of the mid-17th century (less importantly, whether they were factually correct). The creator of The Deluge. An unmistakeably Polish tale, imprinted in our hearts and heads, with a full-blooded main character so painfully close to us. A story that is said to have been written to comfort our hearts.

Jakub Roszkowski, director of the play and author of the adaptation, decided to look at Sienkiewicz’s tale through the prism of what we have buried in the cemetery of history and memory. Characters from our collective consciousness, such as Andrzej Kmicic, Michał Wołodyjowski or Jan Onufry Zagłoba, gain new life in order to once and for all dissolve the thick layers of dust and icing that have built up around their adventures. And then there is Oleńka! I wonder why no one ever remembers her?

Please note: Intense pulsating light is used in the performance.

The performance took part in the 6th edition of the “Classics Alive” Competition for the Staging of Old Works of Polish Literature.