Six actors as one mythical writer—an acting masterpiece beyond theatre’s limits
Krzysztof Warlikowski needs no introduction: he is a legend of Polish and international theatre. But the eponymous character of his latest Warsaw production, Elizabeth Costello, certainly does. She is a figure that defies definition. What can we say for sure about her? She was born in Melbourne and had two husbands and two children, one from each marriage. She is a writer, poet, and essayist, as well as the author of the novel “The House at Eccles Road”, which brought her fame, recognition, and invitations to cultural events around the world. While attending conferences, symposiums, and festivals, or receiving numerous awards, she seizes every opportunity to speak about issues close to her heart, such as women’s rights, animal rights, vegetarianism, the nature and source of evil, religion and faith, the role of literature and writers in society, and, finally, the fear of death, ageing, and the existential void.
It would all be wonderful if Elizabeth Costello existed. But she does not. She is a literary character from the novels of the South African Nobel Prize winner J.M. Coetzee. He first adopted her identity in 1997 at Princeton University during the renowned Tanner Lectures. This concept, behind which the writer undoubtedly hides, seems to be necessary for him to express specific ideas without speaking in his voice. Two years later, these lectures were published as the book “The Lives of Animals”, in which Costello was introduced as an official literary persona.
Yet her expansion did not stop there. In 2003, she became the eponymous character in another Coetzee novel. Two years later, she entered the life of Paul Rayment, the protagonist of “Slow Man”, to help him overcome a crisis. She claims that he was unable to cope with the book in which he is the main character. At the end of the novel, Rayment distances himself from Costello, which, with the benefit of hindsight, can be seen as a kind of closure to their relationship. However, Costello continues to feature in Coetzee’s work. For example, she appears in the stories “As a Woman Grows Older”, “Vanity”, and “The Glass Abattoir”, which are included in the New Theatre’s production.
Interestingly, just as in Coetzee’s work, Costello makes her way to the centre in Warlikowski’s theatre, appearing regularly in his productions since “(A)pollonia” in 2009. From this perspective, the play “Elizabeth Costello: Seven Lectures and Five Moral Tales” seems to be the culmination of the director’s relationship with Coetzee’s abandoned alter ego. Costello’s relationship with the Nobel laureate is reflected here as if in a mirror, especially since she appears in six different personas. Whether Krzysztof Warlikowski will abandon Costello or she will abandon him, and how this relationship will end, the audience will find out from this Avignon-illuminated production.
“«Elizabeth Costello: Seven Lectures and Five Moral Tales» brilliantly showcases the talents of the New Theatre’s cast, employing a range of styles, dynamics, and emotional registers — from intellectual, academic verbal duels to intricate family relationships. It is also a poignant exploration of ageing, loss, and family bonds, illustrating how, as we grow older, we become more dependent on others and gradually lose our sense of self.” (Marta Zdanowska, Czas Kultury)
About the Theatre:
The International Centre for Culture New Theatre is a municipal cultural institution, founded in 2008 and officially opened in 2016. It is located in a renovated workshop hall of the former Municipal Waste Management base in Warsaw.
Nowy Teatr grew out of the work of Krzysztof Warlikowski, who radically opened theatre art to socially important, often controversial topics as well as formal experiments. The institution produces and presents exploratory theatre, both Polish and international, creating a space for dialogue and collaboration, a new artistic situation, and a free field of activity for invited artists.
Nowy Teatr aims to be a place for artistic expansion of the battlefield, boldly posing questions about human nature and condition, as well as the shape of the community we create.
About the Director:
Krzysztof Warlikowski is a distinguished theatre and opera director, founder and artistic director of the New Theatre in Warsaw. Highly esteemed both in Poland and internationally, he studied history, philosophy, and Romance studies at the University of Warsaw, followed by theatre directing at the École nationale supérieure des arts et techniques du théâtre in Paris and Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich.
He has worked as an assistant to Krystian Lupa, Peter Brook, and Giorgio Strehler. Making his directorial debut in 1992, Warlikowski has since created innovative productions rooted in classical literature and contemporary drama. In 2008, he founded the New Theatre in Warsaw. His productions, including “(A)pollonia,” “Cleansed,” “Angels in America,” and “We Are Leaving,” have been presented on the world’s most prestigious stages.
He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the European Theatre Award (2008), the International Opera Award (2019), and the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Biennale (2021).
