Language: Polish
Subtitles: English
After the performance there will be a meeting with the creators.

A legendary text. A stage adaptation of the masterpiece by the outstanding Hungarian writer Sándor Márai, crafted by two-time Academy Award winner Christopher Hampton. A drama of passions whose embers still smoulder after more than forty years. A masterclass in acting. A theatrical feast of the finest vintage.
The play was commissioned by Eric Abraham in association with Robert Haggiag, and received its world premiere on February 15, 2006, at the Duke of York’s Theatre. London world premiere producers: Eric Abraham and Robert Haggiag.

Jan Englert and Daniel Olbrychski share the stage in the setting of a derelict 1940s castle during World War II. The air is thick with a longing for love, both the romance between a man and a woman, and a profound love between men that, as Henrik makes clear from the outset, has nothing to do with eroticism. Instead, it is the devotion of two friends who would rather live out their lives unhappy and alone than cause each other harm.
The chemistry these two actors generate radiates genuine heat; the atmosphere defies description – this is a slow burn that has to be felt firsthand. Henrik’s elderly nanny, appearing in just two scenes, infuses the play with a piercing nostalgia, leaving a lasting impression on the audience. The role alternates between Maja Komorowska and Anna Seniuk.
Katarzyna Jakubiak, Dziennik Teatralny

This is theatre of words, gestures and emotional tension, all of which simmer beneath seemingly static conversations. Jan Englert, who directs the production and plays one of the lead roles, has consciously stripped the staging down to its bare essentials. The focus is entirely on the actors, their voices, bearing, breath and pauses.
Wiesław Kowalski, Teatr dla Wszystkich

Cast

Gallery