I decided to share in English the text I originally wrote in Polish last September, after seeing „Quo Vadis” musical in The Musical Theatre in Gdynia. This musical is in the theatre’s permanent repertoire and this text might encourage you to see that play. If you don’t know Polish it’s not an obstable, as the text in English is displayed throught the entire play.
This text was originally published in Polish 23rd September 2024.
Directed by: Wojciech Kościelniak
Music by: Mariusz Obijalski
Choreography by: Mateusz Pietrzak
Scenography by: Mariusz Napierała
Costumes by: Anna Adamek and Martyna Kander
Musical direction by: Dariusz Różankiewicz
Vocal preparation by: Agnieszka Szydłowska
A week ago, on Sunday, September 15, I had the pleasure of watching the musical “Quo Vadis” at the Musical Theatre in Gdynia. Although the first sentence already contains a spoiler of my theatrical impressions, maybe someone will want to know, maybe not yet “if”, but “why” it is worth going to see this musical 🙂
Since the premiere (or more precisely – Polish premiere) on September 14, many reviews have appeared about this artistic event on the Polish theatre and musical scene. This text will be the impressions of a girl (woman rather) in whose life theatre has stayed for good, and who has been to the Gdynia Theatre so many times that she can dare to say a few words about her impressions of this musical (or at least that’s what she likes to think).
Not only the official information about this musical directed by Wojciech Kościelniak, but also the first reviews from media rehearsals or the screening for journalists reported that it would not be a 1:1 reflection of Henryk Sienkiewicz’s epic, and that this musical would refer more to cabaret. (Henryk Sienkiewicz was polish writer who received a Nobel Prize in Literature in 1905). So when I went to the theatre, I knew that I would not see actors in robes and sandals, but in costumes in gold, black and white tones. Honestly, I would probably be disappointed even if it turned out that Wojciech Kościelniak had opted for a “traditional” interpretation of “Quo vadis” book to the stage. It is possible that my conviction was based on so many visits to this theatre, where the creators always manage to surprise me with something. It cannot be denied that the Musical Theatre in Gdynia set the bar high a long time ago when it comes to its cultural offer.
“Quo Vadis” is a musical unlike any other. It is a performance with a great scope, where there is happening a lot throughout the entire performance – it is often difficult to know where to look to see all the details. I heard satisfied voices of people who were sitting on the first or second balcony, that it was the perfect perspective to see everything that was happening on the stage. I do not dare to doubt it, but I think that my seat in the 4th row is the perfect solution for people who like to look at details up close, just like me : )
The play differs from Sienkiewicz’s original book not only in moving away from traditional costumes, but also in “taking” the stoty out of the Roman walls. This is a phenomenal director’s decision, who not only set “Quo Vadis” in a slightly different reality, but also emphasized its timeless character (which many of us may not have paid attention to until now). The action of the play takes place… exactly: where? The set design (impressive!) refers to the Roman Coliseum, but the characters’ costumes are more like Nazi uniforms. The reason? It seems surprisingly simple. Despite the fact that Henryk Sienkiewicz’s work “Quo Vadis” tells about the twilight of the Roman Empire and Nero ruling it, about the persecution of Christians, with the love story of Ligia and Marcus Vinicius in the background, it is actually a story about love, power and… love for power. And these topics are and will always (and everywhere) be current.
The entire play is coherent and dynamic. I liked that group scenes and ballet were often at the center of events, so everyone had the opportunity to play the main role. Interesting choreography and wonderful “synchronicities” (whoever has ever danced, even as an amateur, knows how much work must be put into such a spectacularly natural effect). Incredible emphasis on all the details that complete the performance. Everyone probably noticed other details – for example, I remember the following: the scene of the illusionist’s show (played by Maciej Podgórzak), Ligia (Julia Duchniewicz) looking at herself in the mirror (visual effects!) or the character of Magpie, who complemented the entire play in such an unobvious way (played by Aleksandra Ludwikowska). However, when I think about this performance, two acting performances from this Sunday evening come to mind. The first is Krzysztof Wojciechowski, who played the role of Petronius. Incredibly natural, funny, sometimes reflective, and sometimes mocking – just as he should be. In my opinion, his portrayal of Petronius contributed a lot to this musical. He took over the stage with his charisma, but at the same time there was still room for the other actors (and there were almost a hundred of them in total)! Over the years I had the opportunity to see Krzysztof Wojciechowski in various roles, but the titular „The Man With White Eyes” (from the musical „Bad” („Zły” in Polish, also directed by Wojciech Kościelniak, based on the book by Leopold Tyrmand „The Man With White Eyes” – Polish title „Zły” ) always came to the fore. But now I suspect that will change and it will be Petronius.
The second character I was curious about and whose portrayal surprised me very positively was Paweł Muranowski, who played the role of Marcus Vinicius in Sunday’s performance. Until now I had known Paweł from smaller and less serious roles (e.g. as King Julian in the last “New Year’s Eve Concert”), but with this role he proved his versatility. The role is very expressive, and from my perspective in the 4th row I could see incredible concentration for over 3.5 hours of the performance. I can imagine how interesting an experience it must be for an actor to be able to test himself in such different artistic versions. But for the viewer it is also a pleasure to be surprised by professionals.
I was also very impressed by the roles of Maja Gadzińska, who played the role of Akte (a distinctive, strong character and an incredibly strong voice!) and Zbigniew Sikora as Chilon Chilonides – a philosopher with very… flexible views, which he can adapt to the situation (so that it is beneficial to him). And this character said that Christians are such happy people – they do not lie, do not steal, and that if he can afford it, he will also become a Christian one day. These words cannot escape my head and I wonder: “quo vadis” world?
A lot could be written about this musical, but I wanted to focus on a few aspects that impressed me the most. In addition, let us remember that what we see on stage is the result of many months of work of the director / actors / choreographer / set designer / musicians / composer and many people without whom we would not be able to sit in the audience. Chapeau-bas!
I wonder if anyone has similar observations to mine after watching “Quo Vadis.” Or maybe different ones? I encourage you to share your impressions – it’s wonderful to participate in cultural events, but it’s equally enjoyable to talk about them.