Don't kiss me now

Do you also dream of love that lasts a lifetime? The kind that survives artistic bohème, 82 pairs of trousers, an empty fridge and a cat's betrayal. Love that does not fade despite war and emigration. Love that chooses a small island in the hope that the world will not reach it there.

The performance is inspired by the true story of two artists, Claude Cahun and Marcel Moore, who decided not to be passive during the German occupation of the island of Jersey. It is a story about courage that begins with the smallest gesture, about art that can be an act of resistance, and about love that can survive anything. Their story will be told by ten actresses.

direction, text: Olga Ciężkowska
text, dramaturgy: Julia Nowak
choreography: Ana Kuszarecka
music: Magdalena Dubrowska
costumes: Jan Bačynsjkyj
set design and video: Michał Dobrucki
lighting design: Jędrzej Jęcikowski
costume collaboration: Marko Saidov
assistant director: Maria Wójtowicz
stage manager: Anna Pawicka

cast:
Barbara Biel
Maria Dąbrowska
Adrianna Janowska-Moniuszko (Nina Potapowicz / guest appearance)
Grażyna Madej
Krystyna Maksymowicz
Magdalena Myszkiewicz
Ewa Sobiech
Magdalena Wrani-Stachowska
Maria Wójtowicz
Beata Zygarlicka

"Words such as ‘Nazism’ are cutting off reach on social media. Perhaps this is a deliberate reference to the algorithms that rule the world today, preventing us from calling things by their proper names? At the same time, using his keen ear for reality, Nowak will talk about how we timelessly repress it and how we rationalise cruelty. 'There's always something that's not perfect somewhere, but come on, people, you can't let it drive you crazy,“ says one of the characters before the war; another asks, 'But who cares about the German chancellor in Paris? There is a lot of irony and dark humour in this, because we know how that story continued. We know that even then, there was cause for concern in Paris. (...) However, the most appealing scenes are those with the cat (Maria Wójtowicz). I find the idea that a cat, with its domineering and aristocratic nature, trapped in a bag on a ship, wrapped in a blanket that “may be soft and fluffy, but restricts your basic right to freedom”, reads Nietzsche and becomes a symbol of emerging Nazism, to be phenomenal. After all, a cat has nine lives, does not share its bowl or bed, and people obey it."
Adrianna Wolińska, Teatralny.pl 

"A story like a beautiful but sad fairy tale. And painfully true. (...) The title is slightly poetic, a little provocative, as if taken from a tender romantic comedy. Don't kiss me now... Now, meaning when? One could say: then, because it's a story from the past, but also now, in our times. (...) It is rather a performance about the need for love, especially as the opposite of hatred. The need for closeness and acceptance, as opposed to the rigours of “in the name of principles”. Disagreement and the resulting action, against the tide of consent forced by circumstances and complacent passivity"
Artur Daniel Liskowacki, Kurier Szczeciński

"A captivating herstory, full of feminine and punk energy, reviving the memory of extraordinary artists and teaching lessons about a dignified and fulfilled life. The authors build this narrative in an interesting way, combining the tender intimacy of home and bedroom conversations with the image of courageous, unyielding public engagement. The all-female cast confidently guides its characters through successive eras, periods and events, effectively conveying the emotions associated with war, the need for resistance, anxiety about the world. And endless love, which gives strength and hope."
Przemek Gulda, guldapoleca 

Awards:

The performance is participating in the 32nd National Competition for the Staging of Polish Contemporary Art.