ABSTRACT

The theatrical impetus which led to Gardzienice’s foundation needs to be examined more specifically and located in a historical context. Their training, for example, was particularly influenced by Staniewski’s collaboration with Jerzy Grotowski. Public participation and activity were two prerequisites of Grotowski’s explorations, drawing primarily on innate expression. They evolved in a time when world attention was focused on Polish underground culture and people keenly awaited the next step of Grotowski away from what he saw as the restrictions of theatre. Such values as Grotowski promoted, that encouraged active rather than passive culture, seem anachronistic today in Poland. They belong to the particular consciousness of a certain period. Today people are being encouraged to start business initiatives, and activity in the arts revolves around raising funds, rationalisation of personnel and finances, and self-promotion rather than exploration.