Polish Thanatos: Incantations

the final stage performance created by members of the Laboratory Theatre group. It was developed through collaborative work led by Ryszard Cieślak and was to take the form of a work situated between the paratheatrical experiments (particularly Tree of People) and a traditional performance. Antoni Jahołkowski (this would prove to be his final work in the theatre), Zbigniew Kozłowski, Rena Mirecka, Teresa Nawrot, Irena Rycyk and Stanisław Scierski were involved in its creation. The initial phase of work took place within the framework of a project titled Po dostojewsku (In Dostoyevskian), with this name also used during the open rehearsals held in Olsztyn (5–16 January 1981). The first presentations featuring the eventual title took place in Wrocław between 28 February and 6 March 1981. The performance was subsequently presented in Palermo as part of the programme of Realizzazioni (9 March – 6 May 1981). The piece combined inspirations taken from readings of Dostoyevsky, paratheatrical experiments in building open interpersonal relations and also reactions to political events occurring in Poland at the time. The presentations of Polish Thanatos ceased following the death of Antoni Jahołkowski on 1 September 1981.