The play MOTHERS. A SONG FOR WARTIME directed by Marta Górnicka premiered on September 29, 2023, at the Big Stage of the Powszechny Theatre in Warsaw. A few days later, the ensemble set off on an international tour. The French and German premieres of the play were greeted with standing ovations.
The play was presented at the Théâtre de la Ville de Strasbourg in Maillon France on the 4th, 5th, and 6th of October 2023. On the 3rd, 4th, and 9th of November 2023, the performances took place at the Maxim Gorki Theater in Berlin. More international shows are scheduled for March 2024 (El Teatre Lliure de Barcelona) and May and June 2024 (Spring Performing Arts Festival – Utrecht, Netherlands; as well as Landestheater Niederosterreich and Tangente St. Pölten, Festival Für Gegenwartskultur – Austria).
ARTE Television report on the performance: www.arte.tv.
In an article for „Rzeczpospolita” Jagoda Engelbrecht summed up the reception of the play in Germany as follows:
Olaf Kühl, a renowned translator of Polish literature, was the author of the German subtitles for the play. After the premiere, he said: "I am deeply impressed. I translated the text, which is already very powerful, without knowing the performance, but it works a thousand times stronger on stage, with the involvement of this choir."
Theatrical critics emphasize the uniqueness of this one-hour performance. "This hour is like an eternity and overwhelming terror," writes the reviewer Rüdiger Schaper of "Der Tagesspiegel," titling his article "School of Empathy."
"Berliner Zeitung" refers to Marta Górnicka's work as a "Wunderwaffe" (wonder weapon) against war. "This evening creates a choir story based on the strength of the individual. It tells a story of dark forces and bright humanity," writes reviewer Doris Meierhenrich.
Radio RBB concludes: "What a pity that the East is so far away."
More information about the show: here.
