Satan in Goray

Can you recognize him?

A society frightened and divided by numerous crises, old orders collapsing before our eyes, storm clouds looming on the horizon. The approaching evil may be an equal opponent to good, but it has a far larger fan base. Under what circumstances are we capable of believing superstitions, delusions, and lies? What does it take for us to succumb to our own fear?

Nearly a hundred years after its first publication, Singer’s apocalyptic vision cannot be read as a report on a closed chapter of humanity. Uncertainties and fears about the future still surround us on all sides. Omnipresent fear clears the path for self-proclaimed messiahs offering easy solutions: Laws are outdated, and we offer a revision. No one will tell us what is right, we know best ourselves. And what if things go wrong? Don’t worry, there’s always someone else to blame! Is it even possible to resist the temptation of instant redemption? Especially when it’s available at one click of a button? And can you tell the difference between the devil and the redeemer?

A riveting stage narrative that grows out of astonishment at the continued relevance of Singer’s searing warning. Arising from the need to address the present and speak to the present through the language of great stories. From the desire for a striking encounter between the Divadlo Husa na provázku ensemble and the distinctive personality of Janusz Klimsza, who boldly takes on the adaptation of the novel. A staging as a precise study of a collapsing order.

Janusz Klimsza (b. 1961), straddling the Polish and Czech cultural landscapes, has created a number of productions—not only as a director, but also as a writer and actor. He studied acting in Wrocław, Poland, and theatre directing at DAMU in Prague. However, he has always reliably returned to Ostrava from his directorial ventures, where he previously served as the artistic director of Divadlo Petra Bezruče and later as the artistic director and resident director of the drama ensemble at the National Moravian-Silesian Theatre. He is a recipient of the Order for Merit to Polish Culture, has won the Polish critics’ Golden Mask award, and received several accolades at international theatre festivals. He engages in literary, television, and translation work. This Silesian character will make his debut at Divadlo Husa na provázku.