Broken Barrier Contest and accompanying events

From 1 to 8 October, the theatres and performance halls of Cieszyn and Český Těšín will host the 32nd edition of the International Theatre Festival Without Borders. The programme includes performances from Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. These will include: Encyclopaedia of an Action Film by the Pod Palmovkou theatre from Prague - an original performance by Tomáš Dianiška - a crazy sci-fi comedy set against the background of contemporary Czech history; Two Poor Romanians Speaking Polish by Dorota Masłowska performed by actors from Studio G from Ostrava (dir. Janusz Klimsza); May - a famous poem by Karel Hynek Mácha in a visually fascinating staging by Ivan Acher (theatre Ludus, Bratislava); discussion-provoking Jak nie zabiłem swojego ojca... by Mateusz Pakuła (a co-production of the theatres Łaźnia Nowa from Kraków and Stefan Żeromski from Kiel). Stefan Żeromski from Kielce, winner of the National Competition for the Production of Contemporary Art); Juliusz Słowacki's Sen srebrny Salomei [Salome's Silver Dream] directed by Piotr Cieplak (the Helena Modrzejewska Theatre from Legnica - co-triumphant at the Opole Theatre Confrontations 'Klasyka Żywa'). In the magical open air of Cieszyn's Castle Hill, Teatr Biuro Podróży will show the play Kaspar. For the first time in many years, dance theatre will appear on the programme - the ecstatic show Romeos & Julias unplagued. Traumstadt (a co-production of the Polish Dance Theatre from Poznan and the bodytalk collective from Münster). The ensembles of the Těšínské divadlo theatre from the Czech Republic will also present their works. The Polish Stage will present the premiere of Ballad for the Bandit (directed by Petr Kracik), while the puppet show Bylo nás pět will be performed by Bajka. There is more for the youngest: there will also be a performance of Dášeňka based on Karel Čapek (by the Dokol theatre from Tabor) and a concert by the Czereśnie (Cheerios) ensemble, which is all the more special as it will be performed at the castle in Cieszyn. On 5 October, the day of Václav Havel's 87th birthday, the Dokola theatre will present Havel's little-known play Swine, and under the title Havel found, there will be a performative reading of excerpts from Force of the powerless - Havel's recently found reportage from his first imprisonment, published in Polish in a translation by Andrzej S. Jagodziński. In addition to Czereśnie, the musical programme of the festival includes a joint performance by Czech jazz singer Beata Hlavenkova and Oskar Török - a renowned Slovak trumpeter - in the picturesque hall of the PZKO club (former synagogue) in Český Těšín. And to close the festival in the hall of the National House, Maja Kleszcz will perform her concert Osiecka de luxe. A highlight of the exhibition programme at this year's festival Without Borders will be the 80 x Olbiński exhibition - a jubilee panorama of Rafał Olbiński's work, not only in the field of poster art, prepared for the festival by the Museums of Magical Realism from Cieszyn and Vistula (curator: Sebastian Chachołek). In addition, there will be an outdoor exhibition of Polish theatre photography (winners of the competition organised annually by the Zbigniew Raszewski Theatre Institute). In the Půda Gallery in Český Těšín - an exhibition of Masks (inspired by theatre and more), curated by Ladislav Szpyrc, author of the poster for this year's festival. Jacek Głomb, creator and director of the theatre in Legnica, will be the protagonist of the meeting in the "Master's Afternoon" series. The festival's traditional prize, the "Broken Barrier", is awarded by an international jury, with the audience also receiving its own award.