Acting with Grotowski

Theatre as a Field for Experiencing Life

Zbigniew Cynkutis, Paul Allain, Khalid Tyabji, Khalid Tyabji

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2014
• ISBN:
  9781317613848
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Medien & darstellende Kunst
• Subtopic: Theater

'Zbigniew Cynkutis' writings constitute invaluable testimony of his work with Jerzy Grotowski during the 'theatre of productions' phase and beyond. Cynkutis' insights elucidate aspects of the Laboratory Theatre's praxis and provide a unique perspective on the questions most often asked about Grotowski. Authored by one of the Laboratory Theatre's most accomplished actors, this book draws on long-term theatre research and deep knowledge of the craft of acting to offer practical advice indispensable to the professional and aspiring actor alike. The volume offers the English-speaking reader an unprecedented richness of primary source material, which sheds new light on the practical work of one of the most influential theatre directors of the 20th century. Cynkutis' voice is sincere and direct, and will continue to inspire new generations of theatre practitioners.' – Dominika Laster, Yale University

Acting with Grotowski: Theatre as a Field for Experiencing Life explores the actor-director dynamic through the experience of Zbigniew Cynkutis, one of Polish director Jerzy Grotowski's foremost collaborators. Cynkutis's work as an actor, combined with his later work as a director and theatre manager, gave him a visionary overview based on precise embodied understanding.

Cynkutis's writings yield numerous insights into the commitment needed to make innovative, challenging theatre. A central component of Acting with Grotowski is his distinctive approach to training: 'Conversations with the Body' includes a range of techniques and approaches to warming up, rehearsing and creating work from a physical starting point, beautifully illustrated by Bill Ireland.

The book comprises reflections and practical suggestions on a range of subjects – theatre and culture, improvisation, ethics, group dynamics, and Cynkutis's vision for the Wroc?aw Second Studio.? It contains visual and textual materials from Cynkutis's own private archive, such as diary entries and letters. Acting with Grotowski demonstrates the thin line that separates life and art when an artist works with extreme commitment in testing political and social conditions.

1 A chronological biography of Zbigniew Cynkutis

1938

18 August

Born in Suwałki, northeast Poland.

1939

September

His father is mobilized and disappears without trace.

Together with his mother and sister, he spends the period of occupation (1939–45) in a village near Sokołów Podlaski, eastern Poland. After this, all three move west to Łódź. There he starts school, during which he is an active member of the Association of Polish Youth (from 1952), leader of his class group and member of the Society of Polish–Russian Friendship.

1956

9 April

Submits an application to the Acting Department in the State Higher School of Theatre and Film in Łódź.

3 May

The Drama School Committee of Recruitment supports the application.

5 July

The State Higher School of Theatre and Film entry examination questions are:

• On what does Molière’s immortality depend?

• How do I understand the terms: style, convention, composition?

• The actor’s creativity.

• The actor and an ordinary person in front of the lens.

His answers to the last two questions are:

The creativity of the actor develops from the many activities and ideals with which the actor should be engaged. This demands tremendous work on the self and the strength to interpret a role responsibly. For a good interpretation one has to accumulate knowledge and a precise study of the epoch in which the recreated character existed; skill in acquiring the mentality which ruled the way of life of a given epoch; appropriate mime and gestures; complete giving of the self to the character one is revealing. I like immensely the creativity in [Laurence] Olivier’s acting, whose every gesture, every movement, is comprehensible and therefore beautiful.

An actor is a person of great intelligence and the role created by him is the result of immense work and long and often arduous study. Therefore, the role played by an actor is natural. An actor uses for his interpretation specific capabilities acquired over many years through the study of acting and through practice. An actor may play many roles. An ordinary person may play in front of the camera only that role which is his everyday work.

6 July

He is accepted for one year of study starting in September.

1958

Performs in television serial Podziemny Front (Underground Front).

1959

12 January

Premiere of the feature film Zamach (Assassination) directed by Jerzy Passendorfer. Plays the role of Zawada, while still a student.

1960

4 February

Łódź. Teatr Powszechny (Popular Theatre). Premiere by diploma graduates from the (newly named) Leon Schiller State Higher School of Theatre and Film of Sasiedzi: Klub kawalerów (Neighbours: The Bachelors’ Club) (1890) by Micha#x0142; Bałucki directed by Adam Daniewicz. Plays the role of Nieśmiałowski.

May

Molière’s Les Femmes Savantes (The Learned Ladies) (1672), the acting department’s diploma workshop. Plays the role of Regent.

21 June

Marries Maria Gregorek.

28 June

Defends his MA thesis.

Passes the Leon Schiller State Higher School of Theatre and Film acting department diploma exam with a good result and receives diploma no. 207, which awards him the title of Master of Arts.

Figure 1.1

Zbigniew Cynkutis in Zamach, directed by Jerzy Passendorfer, 1958. Photograph: Witold Mickiewicz.

Figure 1.2

Zbigniew Cynkutis. Screen test photograph for Lotna, directed by Andrzej Wajda, 1959. Cynkutis was not in the final film. Photograph: Antoni Nurzyński.

It was June of 1960. The post-diploma mood was not yet sullied by any mistrust. As a 22-year old I stood at the beginning of the expedition and nothing indicated that I had any reason to expect that I would break away from a four-year education in arming myself with aesthetic gestures, masquerading voices, worn-out masks, the recitation of words, painting the face and decorating the body with costumes. Instead the future promised a safe stroll from season to season, like an arduous inching up the career ladder, grabbing at favourable winds leading to radio and television studios, films or theatre stages. Meeting older students who had earlier on entered into the acting profession dampened one’s dreams. Observation of their fate didn’t awaken any enthusiasm, didn’t excite and … didn’t frighten. The theatres to which we were drawn floated like lazy boats on muddy lagoons. Social storms and critical thunderbolts sank into their oozing, shallow beds. Personally, a soothing fact was that the director engaging me didn’t ask anyt...