Magda Romanska Boeken

Focusing on the post-traumatic theatre of Grotowski and Kantor, this analysis delves into their interpretations of Auschwitz through their significant works, "Akropolis" and "Dead Class." It explores how these playwrights confront the trauma of history and memory, revealing the profound impact of their experiences on their artistic expressions. The study critically examines the themes of suffering, resilience, and the human condition, offering insights into the theatrical representations of one of history's darkest chapters.

"A fierce, modern-day Ophelia is trapped inside the machinery that has created her consciousness, fighting to be heard. Hamlet, overwhelmed by the ceaseless flood of media, watches TV mindlessly, flipping channels with his remote control, consuming a mish-mash of human beauty and horror, a daily soup of innocence and violence. He wants to understand the world but all he can do is stare at it. The two of them are on opposite sides, between them, the Atlantic Ocean. This smart, ruthlessly funny play, tracks Ophelia's impossible journey to bridge that vast space. It is a postmodern tale of love, sex, porn, and politics in the fragmented world of our confused emotions and our modern, global, virtual sexuality. The collection of eight versions of the play (in English, German, French, Spanish, Russian, Italian, Polish and Chinese) would provide opportunity for the academics, theatre artists and teachers to include the play in a variety of courses including courses on adaptations of Shakespeare, postmodern drama, feminist theatre, and avant-garde theatre. The production is also available in online format to watch, which will further attract potential students, and theatre makers"--