After many years, Hans Christian Andersen Theatre stages a performance for grown-ups. The opening show is the project The Song of Roland by Daniel Arbaczewski, an actor from Lublin. Arbaczewski adapted and performed the medieval text translated by Tadeusz Boy-Żeleński. He is also the director of the show. The author of visual setting is Łukasz Głowacki. This young Lubliner, an artist and a performer, takes his first steps as a set designer. Agnieszka Kołczewska, another Lubliner and a percussion instruments virtuoso, has taken care of the music.
About the show.
The Song of Roland is a performance based on a medieval legend about Charles the Great and his courageous knight Roland. This story, together with the Knights of the Round Table and The Legend of Tristan and Iseult, belongs one of the most popular tales of that time. The performance covers only one theme present in the Song – the fortunes of Charles the Great and his Knights during the conquest of Spain.
Arbaczewski’s performance presents meetings of the kings, debates organized by court, fights of great armies… and this all is made by two hands and one actor.
We witness the crash of great armies and deaths, we meet traitors, villains and proud heroes. Yet the God Most High has everything under his care and supports Roland sending the heavenly host to help him.
The Song of Roland is a difficult text, almost impossible to be staged. The author believes that only a puppet show, the theatre of animation, can cope with it, and at the same time deal with the pathos of Roland’s history and deeds.
Teatr im. Hansa Christiana Andersena, ul. Dominikańska 1 Lublin
4 April, Saturday, at 19:00
