Panel discussion

The Uncommon, the motto of this year’s Festival, is a  response of Dialog-Wrocław to  the changes taking place in the reality that surrounds us. The exclusion and otherness discourses, increasingly present in the public debate, mean that social acceptance of otherness (religious, sexual, ethnic or age-related), unimaginable until recently, is becoming less and less unrealistic as a  project, which, however, is constantly put to  the test of time and openness.

Believing that otherness is one of the fundamental human values, which has a  positive influence not only on the individual but also on the local community, during this year’s Festival we  want to  show otherness as a  source of uncommonness; Uncommonness understood as a  sphere of freedom, as source of independence, as an area free of social dogmas.

What is the image of the world created by the uncommon? How is the reality of uncommonness created? Can uncommonness be a  safe haven of a  productive individualism or, rather, is it becoming an area of egoistic practices? And, finally, can uncommonness grab commonness, become a  boundary the crossing of which means no return to  degradation and exclusion?

During a  panel debate summing up the 6th Dialog-Wrocław International Theatre Festival, these and other questions will be put to  the Festival special guests: world-famous theatre director JOHAN SIMONS, eminent specialist in borderline forms of art VALENTINA VALENTINI, curator of the most important theatre festival in both Americas MARIE-HELENE FALCON, one of the greatest Polish historians HENRYK SAMSONOWICZ, and PIOTR PACEWICZ, brilliant critic of our everyday reality. The 15 Festival productions will be for them a  starting point for a  diagnosis of threats and opportunities that modernity offers us. The debate will be led by JACEK ŻAKOWSKI.

Before the panel debate begins, Professor Zygmunt Bauman, world-famous sociologist, guest of honour at the 6th edition of the Festival, will speak in its prologue; his address, entitled “On the uncommonness of dialogue and dialogue which is uncommon” will answer the question whether a debate on uncommonness can make sense at all.

Prof. Bauman’s lecture will take place on 9 October on the main stage of Wrocławski Teatr Współczesny at 16:00

The debate will take place on 15 October on the main stage of Wrocławski Teatr Współczesny at 16:00;

Admission to both the lecture and the debate is free after prior seat reservation. Number of seats limited.

 

Zygmunt Bauman, world-renowned sociologist, philosopher, essayist, one of the most influential thinkers of our time, co-author and theoretician of liquid modernity. His numerous awards include the Theodor W. Adorno Prize and Prince of Asturias Award in communication and humanities, also known as the “Spanish Nobel”. Author of over forty books translated into dozen or so languages. Honorary doctor of the University of Oslo. On his 85th birthday Zygmunt Bauman received the Gloria Artis Medal for Services to Art from the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, Bogdan Zdrojewski. He has recently published a book in Poland entitled Culture in a Liquid Modern World, which is a fascinating point of departure for reviewing the strategy of creating and functioning of culture.

Johan Simons ― actor, director, theatre manager. In 1982 he founded his own theatre company, Het Regiotheater, which performed in empty factory spaces, in barns or village churches. The productions were created in close collaboration with the percussionist and composer Paul Koek, who later began to co-direct various productions and became co-artistic director of the company. In 2001 the company merged with Het Zuidelijk Toneel from Eindhoven to form ZT Hollandia. The company has won many awards and its successful productions ― e.g. Zwei Stimmen (Two Voices) or Der Fall der Götter (The Fall of the Gods) ― have been seen at various international festivals. In 2000 in Taormina, Simons and Koek received the Europe Prize New Theatrical Realities. Simons collaborates with German-language theatres and festivals, including the Zurich Schauspielhaus, Munich Kammerspiele or Wiener Festwochen. In 2004 critics of the Theater Heute magazin voted him the Director of the Year ― for the production of Anatomie Titus Fall of Rome at the Munich Kammerspiele. Since September 2005 Johan Simons has been the artistic director of Publiekstheater in Ghent, known today as NTGent. In 2007 his production of Life is a Dream after Calderon was undoubtedly was of the most important artistic events during the fourth Dialog-Wrocław Festival.

Valentina Valentini, distinguished theatre scholar specialising in interdisciplinary studies and borderline forms of contemporary art; curator of artistic and academic projects, publisher and translator. Lecturer at the Diapartimento Arte, Musica e Spettacolo of Rome’s “La Sapienza” University. Valentina Valentini has published over ten books, the most important of which concern the relations between theatre and visual arts, including, especially, video and television. Her most recent book, Mondi, corpi, materie. Dramaturgia dello spettacolo nel secondo Novecento, has revolutionised the theoretical approach to the dramaturgy of theatrical performance.

Marie-Hélène Falcon ― co-founder of the Canadian TransAmèriques Festival devoted to contemporary theatrical productions from all over the world. She has been the Festival general and artistic director since 1985. TransAmèriques is the first annual festival in Canada presenting works in contemporary dance and theatre. Marie-Hélène Falcon is a frequent guest at international theatre festivals as well as debates on the condition and role of contemporary stage expression. Her awards include the title of Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, granted by the French government, and the Ordre National of the Canadian province of Quebec.

Piotr Pacewicz ― one of the founders of Gazeta Wyborcza and, since 1995, deputy in-chief editor. Between 1980 and 1989, he was a lecturer at the Institute of Psychology at the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN), he also gave lectures in social psychology at TU University in West Berlin. Between 1981 and 1989, he was the editor of Tygodnik Mazowsze, the most important title of Solidarność syndicate’s underground press. Involved in Round Table negotiations on the opposition side, he was the secretary of Professor Bronisław Geremek’s group. He graduated from the Department of Psychology at the University of Warsaw. His work concerns questions of Polish political scene, he also tackles with social topics and changing ways of life. In his articles in Gazeta Wyborcza, he most often speaks in defense of human rights, against intolerance and xenophobia. He also initiated numerous social actions carried on by Gazeta Wyborcza, including “Giving Birth Like Humans”, “Classy School”, “Running Poland”.

Henryk Samsonowicz, distinguished historian specialising in the Middle Ages, professor at the University of Warsaw, Knight of the Order of the White Eagle. Author of over 800 published academic books and papers, mostly devoted to Poland in the Middle Ages, including 16 university student textbooks. In 1980 he began to be actively involved in the “Solidarity” movement; took part in the plenary sessions of the Round Table Talks; between 1989 and 1991 served as minister of education in Tadeusz Mazowiecki’s government. Holder of eight honorary doctorates; his academic and public work has brought him numerous awards and distinctions, including Legion d’Honeur and the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta. In 2010 President of Poland Bronisław Komorowski appointed Henryk Samsonowicz member of the chapter of the Order of the White Eagle.

Jacek Żakowski ― journalist and writer, member of the Polityka weekly editorial staff, winner of the 2008 European of the Year title, in the journalist category, awarded by the Monitor Unii Europejskiejmonthly, chair of the Department of Journalism at Collegium Civitas in Warsaw. Author of numerousbooks, the latest of which are: Koniec (2006) and Nauczka (2007). Recipient of numerous awards for his journalistic work.