The space in which a theater play is staged usually has a big impact on the message and atmosphere. For example, a religious interior imbues a performance with an extra layer of meaning.

Wrocław-based Na Bruku Theater recently staged the story of the city's patron, in Blessed Czesław - the Patron of the City of Wrocław, a play without words, at St. Elizabeth's Church. The piece is a morality play, or a play with a moral message rooted in Christianity and created in the Middle Ages. In contemporary theater, this genre has almost fallen into oblivion. The Wrocław show was an interesting lesson in history. The Blessed Czesław was among the best known Dominican monks who, with divine help, is believed to have saved Wrocław from a Tatar invasion in the 13th century.

Apart from the intriguing subject and unconventional form, the show also featured an innovative stage set. A large mechanical structure was built inside the church, with six stage "windows" in which the drama was simultaneously played out. There were also more than 20 mannequins dressed in medieval costumes, multimedia images and period music. As a result, the audience was treated to an hour-long spectacle with fairy-tale elements. Themes included the eternal battle of good and evil, miracles, healing and the power of faith. The final scene, in which the material and spiritual worlds were juxtaposed, reflected the problems of the contemporary world.

Na Bruku Theater specializes in street performances, playing with the convention of silent cinema. It entertains and gets passersby involved, often attracting children and young people. It encourages people to act together, to play, inspires the imagination and transposes the viewer to an unusual dimension of theater that can be created in any space.

The play premiered Dec. 16 in St. Elizabeth's Church (Minor Basilica in Wrocław's - Garrison Church). It was written and directed by Bogdan Michalewski, who is also responsible for stage adaptation and choreography.

Barbara Deręgowska