ANGELS IN WARSAW
“Angels in Warsaw” is the story of people whose experience was about to be erased from the history of Warsaw in the 1980s. Through a dialogue with the past, the Dramatyczny Theatre Ensemble creates an epic narration about the city and its people as they confront a then-unknown disease.
Inspired by Tony Kushner’s Angels in America and Krzysztof Warlikowski’s groundbreaking 2007 production—both of which left an indelible mark on generations—the creators turn their gaze toward the Polish experience of the AIDS epidemic. While in the West this topic has entered the public debate and has been tamed in various artistic fields, in Poland the subject still seems to be rarely visible - marginalized, misunderstood, burdened with stigma and misinformation.
This is not a historical reenactment but rather an epic metaphor shaped by archival testimonies, documents and personal stories. Drawing from extensive research, the author has created potential histories of those who have yet to find their place in history books.
The play is dissected through the voices of doctors, politicians, artists, mothers, wives and partners, among others - those who were afraid to speak, and those who were afraid to listen. And then, there were those who refused to be silent. Who dared to love openly, to shine in the dark, to dream despite fear. Who turned pain into defiance, and shame into pride.
Warsaw of forty years ago is not just a backdrop—it is a living, breathing organism, reflecting the anxieties, prejudices, and misunderstandings faced by HIV-positive people. But it also offers a chance to look at today's narrative towards the disease. Where does taboo begin, and where does stigma enter the picture? How do we work with prejudice? What can be learned from the experience of minority groups? What are the metaphors of AIDS today?
In their first collaboration at the Dramatyczny, Julia Holewińska and Wojciech Faruga explore the role of love and solidarity in the processes of creating communities of resistance to one of the most drastic epidemics of the 20th century
Director: Wojciech Faruga
Text: Julia Holewińska
Cast: Waldemar Barwiński/Piotr Siwkiewicz, Marcin Bosak, Katarzyna Herman/Anita Sokołowska, Anna Gajewska, Damian Kwiatkowski, Małgorzata Niemirska, Konrad Szymański, Anna Szymańczyk, Paweł Tomaszewski, Helena Urbańska, Agnieszka Wosińska, Łukasz Wójcik, Jan Sałasiński
Performances with English supertitles are available only on selected dates. Look out for the label in our repertoire. Seats from which English supertitles are visible: stalls, rows 7-15, seats 1-10 and I balcony.
Legend
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PKiN, pl. Defilad 1
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602 792 282
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kasa@teatrdramatyczny.pl
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PKiN, pl. Defilad 1
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602 792 282
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kasa@teatrdramatyczny.pl
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ul.Olesińska 21
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663 741 903
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kasa@teatrdramatyczny.pl