FACTOR T Polish premiere: March 1, 2008, Old Brewery, Poznań USA premiere: September 5-7, 2008, Christ Church Neighborhood House, Philadelphia Live Arts Festival
cchoreography and dance: Katarzyna Chmielewska, Bethany Formica, Rafał Dziemidok, Leszek Bzdyl music: Mikołaj Trzaska costumes: Hiroshi Iwasaki directed by: Leszek Bzdyl lighting design: Michał Kołodziej
production: Dance Advance, Philadelphia; Philadelphia Live Arts Festival; Polish Cultural Institute in NYC; Kulczyk Foundation, Poznań; Klub Żak, Gdańsk co-production: Staromiejski Dom Kultury, Warsaw supported by: Trust for Mutual Understanding in NYC; Gdańsk City Council
Dance Advance is a program of Philadelphia Center for Arts and Heritage, funded by The Pew Charitable Trust and administrated by the University of the Arts
A quote from Stefan Themerson’s “Factor T”: “A silly biped shows a group of unconditional, impulsive behaviors, which could be called an Aversion towards killing [A]. It so happens, however, that some of its original gastronomic (and sexual?) Urges [U] cannot be fulfilled without the killing of members of its own kind, or members of other, related species. In other words, committing deeds, which the biped sincerely hates to commit, is its life's need. This is not a dramatic conflict. This is a conflict, which – the thoughtlessness of the fortune – we cannot avoid. Hence, it is a Tragic [T] conflict. It might be easier to assume, that the tragic dichotomy is not a relation between the Aversion to killing and the very necessity to kill, but rather, a relation between Fear and Hunger, or between the production of adrenaline and the production of digestive juices, or even the Biblical contradiction of the ban on having children and a simple urge to submit to a sexual act (in which the essence of the story of Eden is contained). This has a secondary meaning. No matter whether the [A]version concerns the killing or risking life in combat and at work, or having children, and whether the need comes down to eating and getting rid of the sperm. Factor T, the original tragedy, remains unaltered and has to be taken for granted.”
Considering Stefan Themerson's above statement, Dada von Bzdülöw Theatre transfers it to the post-dramatic theatre arena. After a multitude of decompositional, nonlinear experiences, an Actor discovers a peculiar [A]version to dawdling in life’s conflicts. Following the discovered [A]version, the Actor plunges in the diminution of ego and the exploration of harmony. This particular honesty towards oneself, however, leads to an impotent insignificance, to a passive creation of crippled meanings and, ultimately, to theatrical death.
This could be the point at which this catastrophe might be ended. However, faced with the audience, the Actor submits/ once more submits/ always submits to the need of survival. Yields to the everlasting game principle. Well? Isn't Factor T embodied in this post-dramatic, actor's dichotomy?
Stretched between the [A]version and the [U]rges Actors, as well as Spectators (with the Spectators wanting high emotions and, instead, being utterly bored after the first five minutes...) we, once again, are confronted with this theatrical comedy as we would be with an ancient tragedy. Hopelessly bound with Factor T, unable not to submit to Factor T, we constantly duplicate Factor T.
reviews:
Factor T - an original, ironic and humorous performance - and a far cry from dance theatre as we know it. Miroslaw Baran, Gazeta Wyborcza
Factor T. displays unavoidable conflict in many mirrors. Conflict between and among people, between fun and fear, chaos and coincidence. Fun but not lighthearted, it succeeds in showing the story of our constant, dynamic, futile but festive struggle to reconcile. April Greene, The Brooklyn Rail, November 2008
From quirky moments of flirtation to those of painful revelation, Factor T is daring, but always with a sly smirk. Throughout the piece, the dancers evoke magnets, at times attracting and opposing each other, with seemingly no voluntary ability to control themselves. The work culminates in a circus-like frenzy, with each character’s restraints having been gradually loosened until only impulse remains. Factor T leaves its audience stunned silly and out-of-breath – art at its most effective. Ali King, Live Arts Festival, the blog, Sep 6, 2008
2008
March 1-2 - Old Brewery, Poznań / March 6,7,9 - Klub Żak, Gdańsk / Sept 5-7 -Christ Church Neighborhood House, Philadelphia Live Arts Festival, (USA) /
Oct 2-4 - Danspace Project, New York, (US) / Nov 6-7- Centralny Basen Artystyczny, Warsaw / Nov 9- Cultural Center, Lublin / Nov 14-15 - Old Brewery, Poznań /
Nov 17-18 – Teatr Nowy, Łódź
