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Letter: Andrzej Wajda obituary Letter: Andrzej Wajda obituary
(35 minutes later)
Andrzej Wajda was, as mentioned in Ronald Bergan’s obituary, a creative and imaginative theatre director. Andrzej Wajda was a creative and imaginative theatre director.
I met him at the Aldwych theatre in 1970, when I was a young, hopeful actor. I had worked in the émigré Polish theatre in London and was about to go to Bristol to do a two-year drama course at the Old Vic theatre school. Wajda had been invited to the World Theatre festival season that year. He brought a successful and unconventional production of Stanisław Wyspiański’s Wesele (The Wedding), which had been in repertoire at the Stary theatre in Kraków since 1963, and of which he later made a film.I met him at the Aldwych theatre in 1970, when I was a young, hopeful actor. I had worked in the émigré Polish theatre in London and was about to go to Bristol to do a two-year drama course at the Old Vic theatre school. Wajda had been invited to the World Theatre festival season that year. He brought a successful and unconventional production of Stanisław Wyspiański’s Wesele (The Wedding), which had been in repertoire at the Stary theatre in Kraków since 1963, and of which he later made a film.
As the play was in Polish, a reader of the play in English was needed for audience members who used headphones during the performance, so I went along to the Aldwych to meet Wajda and to see if I was capable of doing the job. He welcomed me graciously at the stage door and allowed me to sit with him in the balcony and watch a dress rehearsal of the play before the opening night.As the play was in Polish, a reader of the play in English was needed for audience members who used headphones during the performance, so I went along to the Aldwych to meet Wajda and to see if I was capable of doing the job. He welcomed me graciously at the stage door and allowed me to sit with him in the balcony and watch a dress rehearsal of the play before the opening night.
The play was quite stark in its production and, as was the practice with a number of classical plays at this time, was done in an experimental manner, much like Peter Brook’s RSC A Midsummer Night’s Dream the same year.The play was quite stark in its production and, as was the practice with a number of classical plays at this time, was done in an experimental manner, much like Peter Brook’s RSC A Midsummer Night’s Dream the same year.
His other successful theatre productions included Stanisława Przybyszewska’s The Danton Affair, which he subsequently made into the film Danton.His other successful theatre productions included Stanisława Przybyszewska’s The Danton Affair, which he subsequently made into the film Danton.
I did not get the job of reader. I was not experienced enough.I did not get the job of reader. I was not experienced enough.