Poetic Poland - A Fleeting Visit: Blog 115

Dzień dobry

Well - I lasted out for a week on my blog holiday - quite an achievement I feel. I wasn't sure if I would have reliable internet connection whilst here in Wroclaw, and my mobile data bill from my April visit really did eat as much as it could! So I thought I might wait until I got home to resume blog communication. Not so.

In any event, wifi firmly re-established here I am waking up to the sound of the early morning trams outside the window of Maciej's flat and a few Polish birds - they do speak differently to the seagulls in Barking.

Its strange in some ways to be back so soon after my last visit, when before that it had been over 30 years. It doesn't take long for something to become 'usual', and I chuckled when Maciej asked me yesterday if I wanted my 'usual' breakfast. Struggling a little to work out what that was I just smiled in the hope that he obviously did know! And the smoked salmon, blue cheese, black bread and orange preserve (a little like marmalade) made an interesting and tasty combination. Must make it my usual.

Last week was full of lots of changes, new developments and surprises, some delightful and some more challenging, but all leading me to need to press the pause button for a while. 

On my way to Stansted to catch my plane on Thursday I stopped off at Hockerill Anglo-European College in Bishops Stortford where my daughters went to school and where I had the privilege of being Chair of Governors for 12 years. I stay in touch with a few good friends from the college and it was nice to pop in to see them and then to have a catch up lunch with Simon, the Principal. 

Every time I fly with Ryan Air I swear I won't do it again! How many of us say this and then keep repeating this pavlovian response? I certainly do. Its become worse than a trip to IKEA.

Michael O'Leary - Ah bless him

There must be something perfect in the negative strokes theory that makes us come back for more extra 'this and thats'  - making the whole bill potentially higher than if we were just done with it and went with BA! I guess it requires us to consider how uncomfortable, hungry etc we are prepared to be to get the no extras deal. It gets harder. I knew my case was just over the 10k for the cabin - and when I got to the check in desk, the woman just smiled benignly and suggested I take more clothes out of my bag and put layers on. I smiled benignly back at her - and paid the stupid extra! Next time.........

Arriving in Wroclaw, the now 'usual' look of the airport was welcoming, and Maciej was there to meet me with another trusty friend's car - English number plates this time. It was good to catch up and to hear Maciej's military like timetable for my short visit.

The journey back to his flat was tinged with deep sadness though. In the process of catching up I asked him about a young woman P******, who I had just met and invited to join the actors at Teatr Arka for my workshop in April. She wasn't an actor, but a keen appreciator of theatre, and she enthusiastically joined in with the professional actors. I have some lovely photos and video of her really engaging with the others and the exercises. Maciej sighed and paused before he answered - and he told me that she had taken her own life two weeks ago. I had picked up her deep sadness when we first met and talked, but its a fine line that some of us tread. It knocked me for six and Maciej and I travelled the rest of the journey in silence.

Maciej and Wanda

Yesterday there was much work to be done, starting in the morning with a visit to the Director of the Wroclaw European City of Culture 2016 to further discuss our ideas for a transnational project with Barking. It was very productive and we have a lot to do! I am pleased to have got the ball rolling with colleagues in Barking and Dagenham - so fingers crossed, it could be a very exciting project. Maciej's City Councillor contact is a wonderfully energetic and eccentric media personality Wanda Ziembicka  - and she swept me under her wing taking me off to meet the City President if she could find him! 


And then to Literatka again, where all the artists hang out, just across the square from Grotowski's mob. Maciej had gone off to meet his friend Krzysztof Pieczyński, and the two of them pitched up at Literatka just after we did. It was great to talk to Krzysztof about his experience as a Polish actor in the states and his view of the parlous state of the Polish film industry. And about acting and directing - we talked a lot about that. It was only after he left for Warsaw that Maciej told me his pedigree with films such as The Pianist. If I'm intense - he's in tents.

Maciej and Anna

The evening was perfectly completed by the performance of Macbeth at Arka, indeed my reason for this short visit. Their little space is a fraction of the size of Arc's studios at the Malthouse. The show was electric. Beautifully physical, dark and dare I say it - soulful! Renata, the artistic director has managed to find the key to the swampy darkness of the Macbeths and it resonates wonderfully. Her interpretation is sometimes peppered with Brechtian moments when the characters step out of the swamp and bring us a signed photograph of themselves - very funny. I just loved this production - and am so excited about bringing the company to the Malthouse in August when they come back from Edinburgh. This is authentic, electricfyingly physical and truthful work, and Renata Jasinska brings her team of professional actors, able bodied and dis-abled together to perform this seamless work. Serious respect. Can't wait to work together! 

Renata Jasinska

So 5.30 here - and nearly time for my 'usual' breakfast!