Krakow: Theatrical Reminiscences From 20 To 26 April 2009

Many festivals and events take place all over the world to celebrate this form of art, and in every city the theatre season is considered as the flagship of the annual programme of cultural events. The Theatrical Reminiscences festival in Krakow, which hosts every year plays by both Polish and international playwrights, is certainly one of the most renowned events in this field, as well as one of the most ancient and appreciated theatre events in Poland. It takes place every year in March or April (this year it will be held from the 20th to the 26th of April), giving tourists the possibility to combine a high-level cultural event with a trip to one of the most beautiful European cities, in a period of the year in which the arrival of spring makes a holiday in Krakow even more appealing.

The first edition of the festival took place in 1975, and in the beginning the festivals formula was different: organisers, indeed, were interested above all in alternative theatre (the event was called Festival of Alternative Theatres), and in the phenomenon of the student theatre movement, which was very important in Poland between the 60s and the 80s. In this period the festival began to host the premieres of some of the most outstanding Polish plays, achieving international importance and renown with the passing of time. In 2002 the festivals organisers changed, and so did its formula, but the festival kept being an unmissable event for all theatre lovers, who every year take advantage of low cost travel deals to watch good theatre performances.

The most meaningful change concerns the label alternative, which was removed also from the festivals official name: with the new formula the festival is meant to widen its perspective and to approach the existing different forms of theatre expression without genre boundaries, in order to offer a complete and truthful image of what is really happening in this field. This choice was caused also by the changes that have characterises the world of theatre in the last few years: even traditional theatre has begun to follow some of the paths traced by alternative theatre, making it more and more difficult to distinguish between alternative and non-alternative theatre. Another important change in the festivals formula is to be found in the fact that every edition of the festival takes inspiration from a different theme, which gives all the plays a common denominator. This formula allows a more direct confrontation between different forms of expression, giving at once the possibility to consider plays from a different point of view.

Despite the change in the formula, Theatrical Reminiscences keeps attracting many people with a passion for theatre in Krakows bed and breakfast, also thanks to the interesting events (films projections, debates, workshops, concerts) that take place in the city during the festival.


Date: 20th 26th April 2009
Location: various venues, Krakow, Poland