The British Week in Gdańsk accompanies the opening of the Gdansk Shakespeare Theatre in September. The programme includes performances by cutting-edge British theatre companies.
19th September 2014 is the date of the GRAND OPENING of one of the most incredible venues in the world — The Gdansk Shakespeare Theatre. It is the only theatre with an opening roof that allows staging plays in natural daylight, as it was done back in the Renaissance.
The Gdansk Shakespeare Theatre is the first dramatic theatre planned and constructed from scratch in nearly the last forty years. The honorary patron of the project to rebuild the original Elizabethan theatre in Gdansk is His Royal Majesty, Prince of Wales. The theatre has also the patronage of Andrzej Wajda and Sir Peter Hall, and is supported by a number of renown actors, such as Sir Ian McKellen, Dame Judi Dench, Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman, as well as Jerzy Radziwiłowicz, Krystyna Janda, Jerzy Stuhr, Paweł Wawrzecki, Mirosław Baka, and many more.
The grand opening of the Gdansk Shakespeare Theatre will take place on 19th September 2014 at 9:30 PM, ul. Bogusławskiego 1 in Gdańsk. It will be conducted in the form of a happening recalling the great Renaissance triumphs. Actors, acrobats and fencers from Spain and Gdansk will conduct an "artistic siege" on the new theatre. In the finale, the artists will lead spectators in a triumphant march across the Main Hall of the theatre, where the characters from Shakespeare's dramas will appear. The admission to the event is free of charge (free entry cards available from 1st September).
The building of the Gdansk Shakespeare Theatre is unlike any other in the whole world. Designed by an Italian architect, Renato Rizzi, it is already said to be one of the most interesting architectural objects of the 21st century. The brick construction hides a "treasure" — a wooden interior inspired by the Gdansk Fencing School. Built in the early 17th century, it was functioning for nearly 130 years as the first public theatre of the Republic of Poland. The opening roof, adjustable stage and audience modules, enabling several settings (Italian, Elizabethan and central scene), make the building of the GST one of the most state-of-the-art theatrical buildings in the world.
After the opening, the Gdansk Shakespeare Theatre will aim to produce and promote all forms of art. We would like to invite you to a number of upcoming performances of our very first artistic season: The British Week, 20—26 September (Shakespeare's Globe, Gecko Theatre, Tim Crouch, British cinematography review, exhibition of 17th and 18th century etchings, workshops and meetings with the artists); the 18th Shakespeare Festival, 27th September — 5th October (among others: Hamlet by Jan Klata and Bochum Theatre, Hamlet by National Theatre in Sofia and Othello: The Remix by Q Brothers, US); the National Theatre in Warsaw Month in November; as well as the Polish Premieres cycle and various educational initiatives.
Shakespeare’s Globe's Hamlet, directed by Dominic Dromgoole (20, 21, 22 September) and Gecko Theatre's Missing, directed by Amit Lahav (24, 25 September) will be presented at the new Shakespeare’s Theatre.
Tim Crouch will show his I, Malvolio at the Wybrzeże Theatre Malarnia (20,21 September).
Finally, the Polish production of Marry Stuart directed by Adam Nalepa will be presented (25, 26 September) at the Wybrzeże Theatre.