Karolcia

Description

Eight-year-old Karolcia finds a blue bead—seemingly ordinary but possessing magical power to grant wishes. The girl and her friend from the neighborhood, Piotrek, will go on many adventures thanks to it, fulfilling their own and others’ dreams. However, they will discover that hastily spoken wishes can bring unforeseen consequences. On their path, they will also face a dangerous opponent: the cunning witch Filomena, who is tracking the bead.

“Karolcia” by Maria Krüger has been one of the most popular Polish children’s books for over sixty years: reprinted, adapted for film and stage, included on school reading lists, and above all, still eagerly read. The main goal of Lena Frankiewicz, the play’s director, was to preserve the “analog” spirit of the novel, which is why she primarily drew inspiration from the aesthetics of the 1960s and 70s—both in terms of visual and musical elements. The play thus refers to signs of the past, such as (among others) Bauhaus aesthetics, geometric art forms, jazz and soul music, while at the same time celebrating universal values: imagination, beauty, and goodness, which we all long for in these uncertain times. The actors perform the dynamic and eventful action in both live and puppet forms (flat puppets and other shapes).

Cast

Creators