Jerzy Grotowski
Jerzy Grotowski was a Polish theatrical director born on August 11, 1933, in Rzeszów, Poland. He gained prominence in the 1960s and 1970s for his innovative approach to theater, particularly through the concept of "poor theater," which emphasized minimalism in sets and props while focusing on the direct relationship between actors and the audience. Grotowski studied at the National Theatrical Academy in Krakow and the State Institute of Theatre Arts in Moscow, where he was influenced by renowned directors like Konstantin Stanislavsky and Vsevolod Meyerhold.
Grotowski's notable works include "Akropolis," set in a Nazi concentration camp, and "The Constant Prince," showcasing his themes of death, resurrection, and human nature. He developed what became known as the Grotowski method, characterized by extensive actor training and individual attention. Following the imposition of martial law in Poland, Grotowski immigrated to the United States in 1982, continuing his work in theater until his passing on January 14, 1999, in Italy. His legacy as one of the most influential theater directors persists, inspiring new generations to rethink the dynamics of theatrical performance.
Jerzy Grotowski
Theatrical director
- Born: August 11, 1933
- Place of Birth: Place of birth: Rzeszów, Poland
- Died: January 14, 1999
- Place of Death: Place of death: Pontedera, Italy
Education: National Theatrical Academy, Krakow, Poland; State Institute of Theatre Arts, Moscow, Soviet Union
Significance: Jerzy Grotowski was a Polish theatrical director who became well known in the 1960s and 1970s for his groundbreaking style. Grotowski helped shape a new relationship between the audience of a play and the actors. One of his best-known contributions to theater was the idea of poor theater, which promoted the use of minimal sets and props and emphasized the relationship between the actors and the audience.
Background
Jerzy Grotowski was born on August 11, 1933, in Rzeszów, Poland. His father, Marian, was a forester and a painter. His mother, Emilia, was a teacher. He had one brother, Kazimierz, who was born in 1930. When Grotowski was only a boy, Adolf Hitler's army invaded Poland. His father escaped to France and eventually to England and never returned home. Grotowski was six years old the last time he saw his father.
Grotowski's mother raised him and his brother. They lived in a small village near Rzeszów. Grotowski learned about different religions, myths, and beliefs in the village. He would later use these ideas and themes in his work. He often fell ill as a child, and he frequently missed school because he was too frail. When Grotowski was ready to attend college, he applied to three different schools. The theater school was the first to accept Grotowski, and that is where he chose to study.
Life’s Work
Grotowski attended the National Theatrical Academy in Krakow, Poland, where he started to develop his own style. Like most other aspects of life in Poland, theater performances were controlled by the socialist government. However, Grotowski enjoyed the theater in part because the rehearsals were not as tightly controlled. He graduated from the academy in 1955, and he then studied at the State Institute of Theatre Arts in Moscow in the Soviet Union. There he learned of the works of famous directors such as Konstantin Stanislavsky and Vsevolod Meyerhold. The latter was executed by the Soviet authorities for not conforming to government rules concerning art.
When Grotowski returned to Poland in 1956, the country was in turmoil with riots and protests. Many artists and thinkers were involved in the unrest. Grotowski was involved in the protests for a short time, but he stopped his political work soon after he started. Instead, he focused on his work in theater. Some experts believe that Grotowski may have ended his political involvement because he was being pressured by the government.
Grotowski then began working in an experimental theater in the provincial city of Opole, Poland. One of Grotowski's first groundbreaking productions was Akropolis, which was first shown in October 1962. The performance was an adaptation of an epic poem written in 1904 by Stanislaw Wyspianski. The production created by Grotowski and Józef Szajna was set in a Nazi concentration camp. Akropolis focused on themes of death and resurrection, and it became a model for the use of Grotowski's poor theater method. Akropolis was produced a number of times, with each production including changes to the cast and the show. Grotowski first produced the show in the United States in New York in 1969.
Grotowski produced another innovative show, The Constant Prince, in Poland in 1965. This production told the story of a protagonist named Don Fernando, who would rather die than give in to his enemies' demands. The play was produced around Poland and in cities throughout Europe in the 1960s.
Grotowski's work was groundbreaking for its time. One major focus of his work was something he called organicity. This happened when an actor revealed his or her true nature and the true nature of all humankind while performing. This was Grotowski's aim when creating theater productions. Grotowski also developed the ideas of poor theater, which advocated few sets, costumes, and props. He believed that the theater needed nothing more than actors and an audience. Grotowski's approaches became known as the Grotowski method. He taught and refined his method around the world later in his career. Grotowski also became well known for the extensive work and training he did with actors. He often worked one-on-one with actors, and he demanded much from people who performed in his shows.
In 1981, Poland instituted martial law, and in 1982, Grotowski immigrated to the United States. He continued to work and innovate in the United States and in Italy throughout the 1980s and 1990s. After battling leukemia for a number of years, Grotowski died on January 14, 1999, in Pontedera, Italy.
Impact
Grotowski was an important innovator and became known as one of the most influential directors of his time. Grotowski developed a number of important ideas, such as poor theater. Grotowski's work was also important because it made Western directors reconsider the relationship between the actors and the audience.
Personal Life
Grotowski never married nor had children.
Bibliography
"Akropolis." Grotowski.net. The Grotowski Institute, 29 Feb. 2012. Web. 26 May 2016.
"Akropolis." Holocaust Theater Catalog, htc.miami.edu/plays/akropolis/. Accessed 30 Sept. 2024.
"The Constant Prince (Książę Niezłomny)." Grotowski.net. The Grotowski Institute, 8 Mar. 2012. Web. 26 May 2016.
Fowler, Keith. "Student Assistant to Jerzy Grotowski Reveals Secrets from Inside the Lab." American Theatre. Theatre Communications Group, Jan. 2014. Web. 26 May 2016.
"Grotowski Jerzy." Grotowski.net. The Grotowski Institute. Web. 26 May 2016.
"Guide to the Jerzy Grotowski Technique." Backstage, 15 Mar. 2022, www.backstage.com/magazine/article/guide-to-the-jerzy-grotowski-technique-74788/. Accessed 30 Sept. 2024.
Gussow, Mel. "Jerzy Grotowski, Director, Is Dead at 65." New York Times. The New York Times Company, 15 Jan. 1999. Web. 26 May 2016.
Michalik-Tomala, Justyna. "Gesamtkunstwerk Transcriptions in the Polish Theatrical Avant-Garde." Open Library of Humanities, vol. 10, no. 1, 2024, doi.org/10.16995/olh.10929. Accessed 30 Sept. 2024.
"Obituary: Jerzy Grotowski." Independent. Independent Digital News and Media Limited, 18 Jan. 1999. Web. 26 May 2016.
Slowiak, James and Jairo Cuesta. Jerzy Grotowski. London: Routledge, 2007. Print.