Jerzy Grotowski
Jerzy Grotowski There were few men who were seen as key figures in the 20th century in terms of furthering the actor’s technique, and Jerzy Grotowski was one of them. Grotowski was a Polish theater director and innovator of experimental theater, the “theatre laboratory,” and “poor theatre” concepts. On August 11, 1933, Grotowski was born in Rzeszów, Poland, and he died in Pontedera, Italy on January 14, 1999 at age 65. During World War II, Grotowski’s family got separated. His father went to fight in the war and was stationed in England. However, Grotowski escaped the Nazis with his mother and his brother. The three of them went to live with his aunt and uncle on a farm in Krakow where he learned spiritual advances from his uncle, who was a Bishop. These spiritual awakenings led to his ideas about the theater.
In 1955, Grotowski graduated from the State Higher School of Theatre in Krakow with a degree in acting. Immediately after graduating he moved to Moscow to study the styles of directing at the Lunacharsky Institute of Theatre Arts. It was at this institute that he learned about the acting techniques and artistic approaches of Stanislavsky, Vakhtangov, Meyerhold, and Tairov’s work. Stanislavsky was a socialist and portrayed that in his work. He believed that every actor should show real emotion and realism. “His plan was to realize all the intentions of dramatists, to create a literary theatre” (Grotowski 56). Grotowski also studied Vakhtangov, who was a student of Stanislavsky’s.
Grotowski made his directorial debut in 1957 with the production “The Chairs”. By 1959, he achieved artistic directorship of the Thirteen Row Theatre in Opole where the beginnings of his new vision began to grow. However, Actors’ Institute – Laboratory Theatre did not become the official title until 1971. The Laboratory Theatre, Grotowski’s institute, was devoted to researching the art of theater with specific focus on the actor. Grotowski and his ensemble
In 1955, Grotowski graduated from the State Higher School of Theatre in Krakow with a degree in acting. Immediately after graduating he moved to Moscow to study the styles of directing at the Lunacharsky Institute of Theatre Arts. It was at this institute that he learned about the acting techniques and artistic approaches of Stanislavsky, Vakhtangov, Meyerhold, and Tairov’s work. Stanislavsky was a socialist and portrayed that in his work. He believed that every actor should show real emotion and realism. “His plan was to realize all the intentions of dramatists, to create a literary theatre” (Grotowski 56). Grotowski also studied Vakhtangov, who was a student of Stanislavsky’s.
Grotowski made his directorial debut in 1957 with the production “The Chairs”. By 1959, he achieved artistic directorship of the Thirteen Row Theatre in Opole where the beginnings of his new vision began to grow. However, Actors’ Institute – Laboratory Theatre did not become the official title until 1971. The Laboratory Theatre, Grotowski’s institute, was devoted to researching the art of theater with specific focus on the actor. Grotowski and his ensemble
Cited: Grotowski, Jerzy. Towards a Poor Theatre. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1968. 15-262. Print. "Jerzy Grotowski." Wikipedia. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, 18 Feb 2011. Web. 8 Mar 2011. . Mennen, Richard. "Jerzy Grotowski 's Paratheatrical Projects." MIT Press 19.4 (1975): 58-69. Web. 8 Mar 2011. .