Instytut im. Jerzego Grotowskiego - The Laboratory Theatre

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The Laboratory Theatre

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In the 'post-theatrical' period (that is, from the beginning of the 1970s), the ensemble of the Laboratory Theatre directed by Grotowski realised a number of paratheatrical ventures: Complex Research Program (1972–1974), which later turned into Special Project (1973–1976); Spotkania robocze [Workshop Meetings] (1974–1975), Acting Therapy (1975–1977), Zdarzenie [Event] (1975), Twoja Piesn [Song of Myself] (1975–1976), Otwarcia – miasto Wroclaw [Opening – the City of Wroclaw] (1976), Night Vigil (1976–1977), The Way (1977–1979), Vigil (1978–1979), The Mountain of Flame (transformed later into The Mountain Project, 1977), Medytacje na glos [Meditations Aloud] (1974–1981), Tree of People (1979–1981). In this period the ensemble was joined by several new members. The existing team, comprised of Elisabeth Albahaca, Rena Mirecka, Ryszard Cieslak, Zbigniew Cynkutis, Antoni Jaholkowski, Zygmunt Molik and Stanislaw Scierski, was joined by 'the young' – a group selected in the period 1970–1971: Irena Rycyk, Wieslaw Hoszowski, Zbigniew Kozlowski and Aleksander Lidtke, which was expanded in 1972 with the arrival of Teresa Nawrot and Jerzy Bogajewicz (graduates from the Warsaw State Theatre Academy), and Wlodzimierz Staniewski, an actor of the student theatre STU, and future founder of the Centre for Theatre Practices 'Gardzienice'. In June 1973, Jacek Zmyslowski, one of the most important leaders of the para-theatrical undertakings, joined the company. Apart from Ludwik Flaszen, who by that time had become active as a para-theatrical venture leader, an important role was also played by Zbigniew (Teo) Spychalski, a former probationer and assistant of Grotowski during the theatrical period, who co-ordinated the activities of the International Studio.

A unique event in the history of the group was the University of Research of the Theatre of Nations in Wroclaw, which was part of the Theatre of Nations season in 1975. Among those invited were: Eugenio Barba, Jean-Louis Barrault, Peter Brook, Joseph Chaikin, Andre Gregory, and Luca Ronconi. It was at that time that the programs Acting Therapy, Zdarzenia [Event], and Twoja Piesn [Song of Myself] were initiated.

Quite another form of activity of the Laboratory Theatre were the various artistic and research ventures supervised directly by Grotowski under the title Theatre of Sources (1978–1982). It was the last period of creative activity by Grotowski before his emigration, and was also substantially distinct from what had been termed 'paratheatre'. Theatre of Sources was divided into work in Brzezinka and Ostrowina, and expeditions – to Bialostocczyzna, Haiti, Nigeria, Mexico and India (West Bengal). In all his activities, Grotowski searched for the support of both Polish and non-Polish collaborators. Among the former were: Zbigniew Spychalski, Jacek Zmyslowski, Zbigniew Kozlowski and Marek Musial, who had collaborated with Grotowski in the period of 1970–1971, as well as Magdalena Zlotowska and Leszek Kolankiewicz. Among the international collaborators were: Dominique Gerard, Pierre Guicheney, Francois Kahn, Francois Liege (France), Eliezer and Micado Cadet, Maud Robart and Jean-Claude (Tiga) Garoute, together with other members of the Saint-Soleil group (Haiti), Abani Biswas and Dibyendu Gangopadhya (India), Maro Shimoda (Japan), Jairo Cuesta (Colombia), Nicolas Nunez, Jaime Soriano and Pablo Jimenez (Mexico), Katharina Seyferth (Germany), Elizabeth Havard (United States), and Stefano Vercelli (Italy). At the beginning of the 1980s a group comprising Rena Mirecka, Teresa Nawrot, Irena Rycyk, Antoni Jaholkowski, Zbigniew Kozlowski and Stanislaw Scierski, made an attempt to refer to performance practice in the undertaking Thanatos Polski. Inkantacje [Polish Thanatos. Incantations](1981), directed by Ryszard Cieslak. The premiere took place in Olsztyn in the space of the Pantomime Theatre for the Deaf, in January 1981.

During the period of martial law in Poland, in November 1982, Jerzy Grotowski decided to emigrate and to dissolve the group. Until 1984 the group members continued to work abroad. In August that year, the founding members of the Laboratory Theatre decided to dissolve the group, which was formally completed on the 31st December.

By Bruno Chojak

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