SZENE
Salzburg

The director and choreographer CezaryTomaszewski draws on his own biography in Cezary Goes to War and specifically on his experiences in a physical examination by a military service panel. Dressed in smart aerobics costumes and performing in a stage set that is reminiscent of a gymnasium, the five-person ensemble, consisting of four actors and a pianist, re-enact his personal experiences in the form of a grotesque musical revue.

The evening focuses on patriotism, love of one’s country and not least the social, psychological and cultural effects of war. To this is added a series of games with subversive and queer identities and a witty and sharp critique of nationalist warmongering language, which has strong resonances in Poland today. The music by Stanisław Moniuszko, the founding father of Polish opera, Dmitri Shostakovich and Claude Debussy gives the evening a military dash and its wonderful ensemble makes Cezary Goes to War a striking stage experience.

CezaryTomaszewski is a choreographer, director and performer. After studying theatre at the State Academy in Warsaw, he trained as a choreographer at the Bruckner Conservatoire in Linz. He directs both theatre and opera, enjoys experimenting with classic texts and takes a keen interest in the banality of art. Cezary Goes to War, which is shown in Austria for the first time at the Sommerszene, was produced by Komuna Warszawa, Poland’s leading independent avantgarde theatre and was acclaimed as the theatrical event of last season.

60min, in Polish with German & Englisch subtitles.

Watch & Talk

Artist Talk in English
Tu 25. June, 21:00

• cezarytomaszewski.com