Samuel Beckett and Poland (1981–2008)
Marek Kędzierski
translated by Kaja Wiszniewska-Mazgiel
The full version of this article is available in Polish in the printed version of Tekstualia and in the on-line subscription.
The article concentrates on the Polish reception of Samuel Beckett in the years 1981–2008. It fi rst examines the negative opinions on Beckett, expressed by writers who did not speak highly of his work, e.g. Czesław Miłosz. It subsequently deals with Beckett’s translations, mostly by Kędzierski and Libera, both of whom actually collaborated with the author. The article offers discusses Polish theatre productions of in the context of Polish history, especially the fall of the communist regime, showing how Beckett’s spectacles coincided with the democratic changes in the country. Special attention is paid to Antoni Libera’s achievement not only as a translator, but also a theatre director, who staged Beckett’s plays in a way that was meant to convey the writer’s visions. The article also looks at a selection of actors who have played Beckett’s characters, e.g. Giulia Lazzarini, and how they contributed to Beckett’s reception in Poland. The last part of the article concerns alternative projects inspired by Beckett’s works, such as Piotr Szczerski’s eleven spectacles played simultaneously in different parts of Teatr Żeromskiego in Kielce.
The sample of Polish version of this article is available here: https://tekstualia.pl/pl/numery/beckettwpolsce
