History of Teatr Osmego Dnia

Founded as a student theatre at the University of Poznan in 1964, by the 1980s Teatr Osmego Dnia had become the most famous of the underground alternative theatre groups. Their development of a more physical, non-verbal theatre stemmed from their association with one of the practioners of Grotowski's laboratories and the experience of the student protests of March 1968. Among its founders, Stanislaw Baranczak, famous polish poet and Tomasz Szymanski are worth to mention. Soon, after deep artistic shakeups theater's director Lech Raczak moved repertoire into non-linear, authoring language of  group improvisation. The most renowned of the "Osemki" early performances was In One Breath (1971), a piece based on poems from Stanislaw Baranczak's eponymous collection, which itself offered commentaries on the events of 1968. Since 1970s the core of the theater represent: Ewa Wójciak, Tadeusz Janiszewski, Marcin Kęszycki, Adam Borowski. Teatr Osmego Dnia were interested mostly in public and human affairs, problems of collective memory, "now and then" conflict and metaphysical life rollercoasts: Discounts for All (1977) for instance attempted to show the corruption ordinary people experienced through being subjected to official lies, their consciousness transformed by the constant compromises they had to make. Oh, How Nobly We Lived (1979) showed the interpenetration of philosophical and political issues as it satirized the materialist propaganda and official language.

The authorities continued to create difficulties. In 1980, the Teatr Osmego Dnia was invited to the Theatre of Nations festival in Amsterdam. Having initially agreed to their appearance, the Ministry of Culture withdrew permission at the last moment. When the group was again denied passports to appear in Holland, Solidarity threatened to call a series of strikes in support. Subsequently, the group was also allowed to travel further afield, even to Mexico, to attend festivals. In return, it played benefits in factories and during student strikes. In 1984, the local provincial governor announced the withdrawal of all government subsidies, apparently as an act of reprisal against the Osemki performances with other alternative theatre groups at the Church on Zytnia Street in Warsaw. A comprehensive news blackout followed this announcement of the official disbanding of the group. In response, the group became an underground theatre, performing extensively all across Poland in parish halls and churches.

A new production Wormwood (1985) should have been taken to the Edinburgh Festival in 1985, but the authorities granted only half of the "Osemki" passports to travel. Instead, a new production, called Auto Da Fe was a great succes. Based on Tadeusz Konwicki's "A Minor Apocalypse", the production won a "Fringe First" prize. Between 1987-89 those member of "Osemki" who had been allowed to leave Poland took the production around Western Europe.

In 1989, the group have been able to return to Poland, by Tadeusz's Mazowiecki special invitation and perform two new productions: No Man's Land (1991), Requiem, based on a Anna Achmatova's novel and, in collaboration with Biuro Podrozy theater, Sabbath (1993). After 1993, where Lech Raczak left theater and found his own group and firstly Tadeusz Janiszewski and then Ewa Wójciak became the Director, Teatr Osmego Dnia created the new formule of plastic outdoor performances, prepared for big, even 5000-6000 spectators. Impressive, fabulous spectacles were performed: The Summit, The Arc, The Time of Mothers and in-door spectacles like: Dance as long as you can, famous the Porter's Lodge and the newest - Teczki. The company sees theatre as a space for freedom and rebellion and in its performances addresses important problems of contemporary life and the destinies of those often forgotten in the vast “machine of the world".
Since 1992, Teatr Ósmego Dnia’s own theatre in the centre of the city of Poznań has become one of the most important centres of independent culture in Poland