The performance is for viewers aged 10 and over.
The script of the play was based on the novel "The Secret Garden" by Frances H. Burnett, translated by Jadwiga Włodarkiewicz, and the actors' improvisations.
The play uses a fragment of Maria Reimann's text entitled "Don't Be a Child".

Loss affects everyone. But not everyone can acknowledge and accept it. This is also true for the characters in The Secret Garden by Frances H. Burnett, who each cope with the loss of their loved ones in different ways. Mr. Craven isolates himself completely from the world. Mary Lennox throws herself into life with relentless and uncompromising energy. Talking about loss is difficult—it has many shades. So, is opening up to new relationships the only way to deal with it? How do the characters of The Secret Garden manage to regain hope and belief in themselves?

The performance at Teatr Zagłębia is a kind of remix and recycling of this classic work. Using a variety of artistic means—contemporary music, video art, performance—it transforms the stories and themes found in the novel. It approaches them critically, examining how our perceptions of the body, social norms, and even nature itself have changed over the years. This is The Secret Garden reimagined—colliding with music, childhood expression, and the experiences of people with alternative motor abilities. It is an invitation not only to explore a vibrant, rich, and diverse landscape but also to play together and reshape it according to our own rules.

The creators of the Sosnowiec production of The Secret Garden have transformed this classic children's story into a narrative that fosters sensitivity. They have woven socially significant issues, which are often overlooked in public discourse, into the lives of the characters. They address the under-representation of disabled artists on the big stage. The performance raises awareness among young viewers of the inequalities and barriers faced by people with alternative motor skills. Therefore, the Zagłębie Theatre’s production has a pedagogical and educational value.

Magdalena Mikrut-Majeranek, teatrologia.info

The performance is visually stunning, with video projections by Jan Domicz that harmonise with Magdalena Łazarczyk’s set design and Wisła Nicieja’s costumes, which draw on contemporary fashion styles. The aura of discovery hidden in the thicket of a mysterious garden is palpable.

Paweł Kluszczyński, Nowa Siła Krytyczna

PREMIERE: 23.09.2023 – International Festival of Contemporary Music "Little Warsaw Autumn" in Warsaw

29.09.2023 Zagłębia Theatre in Sosnowiec

Language: Polish (English subtitles)

The morning performance will be followed by educational workshops. The evening performance will be followed by a meeting with the creators.

Cast

Gallery