Where to rest from the hustle and bustle of the world and talking heads? Preferably at a pantomime festival! For a week at “Alternatywy” we will see the best theater groups in the world.

The 22nd edition of the International Festival of Mime Art is fast approaching. From October 10 to 15, the best artists of this artistic genre will perform on the stages of the UCK “Alternatyw”. What will the festival surprise us with after last year’s incredible edition, which was attended by the major world powers? As its artistic director says, with diversity.

– We will begin with a very strong accent – with the continuators of the art of mime by Marcel Marceau. We will see the most noble, touching and entertaining form – says Bartłomiej Ostapczuk, the creator of the festival.

“A party within the party itself”

On the second day, French masters will present themselves with a performance also aimed at young audiences, telling about the problems faced by people who spend long periods of time on the Internet. The third evening is an evening of contemporary pantomime. These will be studies carried out by performers from many countries. They will present various short stories. It is – as Ostapczuk says – “a party within the party itself”.

The next two evenings on the same day will see the world premiere of “Aranea” by the Polish-German duo Wojciech Rotowski and Kerstin Hurbain. – It’s a theater of the subject, beautiful music and thoughts, on the smallest stage of “Alternatyw” – said the director of the festival. Later, “Air Sculptors”, i.e. Los Escultores del Aire from Spain, will perform.

And at the end of the festival, a strong accent – Wrocław Mime Theater Henryk Tomaszewski and the play “Tyrant”, which must leave us with strong impressions and question marks.

The starting point for working on the Tyrant is the problem of using other people for their own ends, feeding on their energy and ideas. The creators want to ridicule the addictions that exist not only in the theater, but in any closed world.

– this is how artists from Wrocław describe their performance.

During the five days of the festival, workshops will be offered to mime enthusiasts. It will be directed by Spanish actor Mai Rojas from the Los Escultores del Aire theater.

Keep quiet about important matters

The International Festival of Mime Art has a beautiful 22-year-old tradition. Since 2021 it takes place in Ursynów in the new “Alternative” Cultural Center in Ursynów.

– It’s great that in times of loud screaming, full of talking heads for a week in our cultural center there will be art that – to put it mildly – is restrained in speech, but appeals to emotions, to imagination, conveying content through movement, music and affects us no less significantly than words – says Krzysztof Czubaszek, director of the KLA.

– There will be an opportunity to shut up beautifully and creatively – he adds.

– I am convinced that the 22nd edition will show that this restraint in words allows us to wisely remain silent on important subjects – concludes the artistic director of the festival, Bartłomiej Ostapczuk.

PROGRAM of the 22nd International Festival of Mime Art at UCK “Alternatyw”, ul. Gandhi 9, Imielin metro:

10.10 (Monday) 19:00
BEST OF – 30 Years on Stage – Bodecker & Neander – Pantomime Theater (Germany)

11.10 (Tue) 19:00
Alice in the box of wonders – Compagnie Mangano-Massip (France)

12.10 (Wed) 19:00
Contemporary Mime Evening – Sara Mangano, Paulina Staniaszek, Mai Rojas, Pierre Ives Massip, Wojciech Rotowski, Bartłomiej Ostapczuk (France, Germany, Italy, Poland)

13.10 (Thu) 18:00
Aranea – Wojciech Rotowski, Kerstin Hurbain (Poland, Germany)

13.10 (Thu) 20:00
Skin Poem for a Cozy House – Los Escultores del Aire / Physical Theater (Spain)

3:10 p.m. (Sat) 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Mime workshop with Mai Rojas

15.10 (Sat) 19:00
Tyrant – Wroclaw Mime Theater – Wroclaw Mime Theater

Tickets available at the “Alternatyw” reception and online: https://tinyurl.com/y9h26t6t