Leszek Madzik’s Magic

“We’re talking of someone well-known in the Western world – already recognised as a specialist in this form of theatre without words, which is very symbolic. It’s certainly not for the masses. Plays from this man are to be seen/ understood in the same way as you would approach the Bible.

It’s a kind of spiritual exercise,” artistic director of ACTA Luís Vicente attempts to explain Madzik’s very personal form of theatrical magic.

There has always been a kind of mystical eroticism in the work of the man who went to the Kielce School of Arts and then went on to study History of Art at the Catholic University in Lublin.

“I suggested to him that he tackle the story of Pedro and Inês, as it’s a story he’s known since his college days. It’s actually the third most studied story in literature and arts in the world, according to many specialists!” Luís Vicente adds. “The first is the story of Jesus Christ, and the second is that of Napoleon!”

So what’s so special about it? The story is set in the 14th century. Dom Pedro I, heir to the Portuguese throne, falls in love with one of his legitimate wife’s handmaidens – a noblewoman from Galicia called Inês de Castro.

The relationship starts tongues wagging and isn’t viewed well by either the Royal Court or the people. On a moral pretext, King D. Afonso IV does not approve of the romance, but what concerns him more are the diplomatic repercussions, as Inês is the daughter of a powerful lord in a neighbouring country.

Legend has it that the king – notwithstanding that he was Dom Pedro’s own father – bowed to pressure from his advisors, and ordered the assassination of Inês in Coimbra.

Years later when king himself, Dom Pedro hunted down the killers (literally ripping out their hearts!) and constructed a fabulous tomb to his murdered love at the Convent of Alcobaça.

The gruesome picture of a coronation ceremony, with hand-kissing of the exhumed corpse of D. Inês – which Dom Pedro put his Royal Court through in his rage and anguish – has become engraved upon the Portuguese popular psyche.

“As it was such an extreme story, there’s the risk of a play becoming over-exaggerated. I’m not really interested so much in what took place, but in the motivation behind it. What interests me most is the climax and tensions – much more than the facts”, Leszek Madzik explains.

According to the director, a story such as this could only have come from a southern Mediterranean country, because it’s “extremely emotive – almost an explosion of irrationality!”

And thus perfect for his form of visual theatre (theatre without words). Indeed, Madzik doesn’t think words are even necessary. He’s interested more in exploring states of spirit, awakening sentiments in the spectator – without the “contamination” of speech. “What motivates me is that the spectator attains a state of reflection, contemplation – and not of rationalisation”.

But doesn’t he think there’s something missing in this kind of theatre? “People have been asking me that question for 40 years. I believe words interfere with our way of perceiving the world. I am more interested in what things were like before words – when peopled dreamt, thought, saw. It’s difficult to answer this question as we’d need to define first what theatre is”.

Madzik is particularly pleased with the original music written for the play by jazz double bass player Zé Eduardo.

In Madzik’s works, performers aren’t featured as actors. They work as part of the imagery – a bit like stage props. And this means they have to “forget” more or less all they know from the classical perspective of what it means to be an actor. Regarding ACTA, Madzik has been impressed by the work of the group.

Despite being considered a perfectionist “during the act of creation, I have many, many doubts. A lot of uncertainty. One of the reasons for this is that I never write plots for my plays. Everything’s constructed during the work on scenes. That’s when it all comes together. I never know until the end how it’s going to turn out – where I’ll come to a halt”, he confesses.

Another characteristic of his plays is that everything is very static, very slow. “It’s an aesthetic option in movement – like a dream, where everything happens in slow motion,” he says.

Aside from the theatre, Madzik – fascinated as he is by light – is passionate about photography. He’s particularly interested in sacred and tumular art, as well as natural death. Madzik is involved with the promotional team behind Lublin as European Culture Capital for 2016 – and his next play after this one is the Greek tragedy «Antigone» by Sophocles. But before Antigone, he’ll be presenting ACTA’s play at Lublin theatre in October.

Anyone who has followed ACTA’s work over the years will feel there’s been an obsession for historic themes in the company’s work. The idea, explains Luís Vicente, is that these stories can help “reflection on current problems”.

How does that explanation fit with this latest play? “The way I see it is that there is a core problem. The essential conflict in this matter of Inês de Castro lies with the State – and, on the other side, we have love. Both are absolutely incompatible and, in this case, the dilemma dictates that the relationship between the two lovers has to be totally annihilated”.

“In the end, this is exactly what states and governments spend their lives doing to people. Right now – at this point in time – the reasons” causing social instability “are financial”.

“We should reflect on the fact that the financial world is taking over and rotting states – and we’re right in the middle of the whole mess! We’re the pawns that are being annihilated!”

Madzik agrees. “Obviously we’ve reached this point because we came to over-value material things and objects to a ridiculous degree. Man’s spiritual values have been diminished. We’ve been living through times of greed – and this over-valuing of all things financial has created huge imbalance in our lives,” he laments.

Visual theatre is an “absolute novelty” for ACTA and “something you honestly don’t see very often in Portugal”, guarantees Luís Vicente.

The show closes ACTA’s current season, but the next one is already programmed. It will premiere in December, launching the next theatrical season. Called «Laços de Sangue», from the original «The Blood Knot», written in 1961, it’s a play by South African Athol Fugard – a vigorous champion of anti-apartheid. The play will be interpreted by both Luís Vicente and Mário Spencer.