Before the premiere, I spoke to Małgorzata Majerska and MicahLem Yurashek - actors of the play"The visitor”"

Tomasz Ostrowski: I am interested in the students' work with the director and the satisfaction with the roles you received. In your opinion, did you receive satisfying acting and vocal assignments? Can this collaborative work bear fruit in the future?

Małgorzata Majerska: As we talk among ourselves, we are in love both with Wojtek, with Ewelina and with all the creators of this show. It is a great pleasure to work. It is very intense.

Michał Juraszek: It involves a lot of security, which is very important. We feel very safe in this collaboration. We trust Wojtek. He trusts us. It seems to me that this is a recipe for success. I guess that's what you have to call it.

M.M. We are very happy that this has been done. That Wojtek agreed to direct this diploma, because he is absolutely the best person for it, We have nothing neutral to say. Everything I can say is positive, because it is simply fantastic. There is a great collaboration and an atmosphere of mutual respect. There is everything that for me personally is very important in theatre. It's not enough for us to do only good things, but for us to have fun while doing it, and for us to spend that time pleasantly, liking each other. And that's all here. It's all happening.

M.J. Wojciech Koscielniak has led us to such a state that when we play each time, we have the feeling that we can't wait for the next number.

M.M. I think that's the best thing, that we have a huge amount of fun playing in it. Everyone has their favourite moments, at a different point in the show such a shot of themselves and that's great.

T. O. It is important that each of you can show up individually.

M.M. And this is in this diploma.

M.J. From the title of the play, it seems that the play is about a newcomer in the singular, and it seems to me that each of us is such a newcomer. Everyone carries a story with them and everyone has one goal, to live a better life, to function better in a new and better world.

T. O. If only theatre still had the impact that your enthusiasm carries, the world would be a better place.

M.M. But that came out of the course of rehearsals. There was an initial impression, it might have looked that way, that the axis of the performance would be one character, just this newcomer and the telling of his story. And somewhere around there we would be creating this world, or showing the old one. But in the course of working on the script, it became very clear that everyone is leading his or her character from beginning to end, has moments of climax in his or her role, has moments when he or she is hidden somewhere, and it is all such a sinusoid and it works very well. Everyone has a moment where the show is about them for a while.

T. O. What previous graduation performances have you had? M.M. In terms of what entered the repertoire of the Theatre Collegium Nobilium there were performances: 'One Heart' directed by Anna Sroka-Hryń - a musical performance with Niemen's songs, and 'Midsummer Night's Dream' also directed by Anna Sroka-Hryń. Music for this performance was written by Leszek Możdżer.

T. O. Have you both performed in these productions?

M.J. Yes, everyone has been performing for the whole of our year.

T. O. Very good performances.

M.M. Thank you. We are also interested in playing these performances, because they are really valuable things.

T. O. You are finishing the protection period, what is school and what is next?

M.M. I'm terrified.

M.J. I have a perspective, because I start rehearsals as soon as I finish school. Just with Wojtek Koscielniak at the Syrena Theatre in the musical 'Captain Wildcat and the Yellow Saturator'. Premiere in February 2020.

M.M. + M.J. But in general, we will manage.

T. O. Watching your performances, I think the year is very good, which can lead to good job offers.

M.M. We really enjoy working with each other, and we know each other well enough to work quickly, we don't waste time on unnecessary things. This is a group of people who know what they want, and do it, and still have fun and have fun.

T. O. I would like to see you as often as possible.

M.M. We are very happy.

T. O. All the best.

M.M + M.J. Thank you very much.

 

THE ARRIVAL is a musical poem based on Shaun Tan's album The Arrival. Separation, longing, loneliness, alienation - these are the feelings accompanying anyone who leaves his or her country, family and decides to travel into the unknown - in pursuit of a better life. The book contains highly evocative, magical images that - without the aid of words - do not so much illustrate the story's plot as interpret it; they give ordinary places, objects, animals and even events or social phenomena an unexpected, deeper context. The performance tells the story of the journey of the eponymous Visitor to the New World.

He is accompanied by ships, clouds, suitcases, magical beings and other travellers seeking a better tomorrow. The New World turns out to be incomprehensible, mysterious, strange and abstract, full of human stories like the 'newcomer's'. A story of boundless love, longing, fear, and the delight of freedom and otherness. Seven fourth-year musical theatre acting students will take you into the magical, oneiric world of wandering. And they will tell the story of Arrival's journey through music, acting and movement.

 

THE ARRIVAL

Creators:
script and direction - Wojciech Kościelniak
music – Mariusz Obiyalski
choreography – Ewelina Adamska-Porczyk
sets and costumes – Bożena Slaga
lighting direction - Tadeusz Trylski
vocal training – Anna Serafińska
music director – Jacek Kita
assistant director – Małgorzata Majerska

Cast:
Patrycja Grzywińska - Happiness
Natalia Kujawa - Chinese girl
Małgorzata Majerska - Wife
Dominik Bobryk - Intelligent
Filip Karaś – Paszczogon
Michał Juraszek - Newcomer
Jakub Szyperski - Old