The project attained the following goals: the propagation and development of professional knowledge of new trends in contemporary theatre among artists, theoreticians and practitioners of theatre in different countries, and also the exchange of opinions and information, which helped establish new forms of cooperation. The project added to participants’ artistic experience and strengthened their need to actively participate in culture.

The project involved participants from nine different countries (eight European countries and the USA), promoting common values by presenting a variety of new trends in European theatre, based on a common Shakespearian heritage.

The project contributed to an increase in the mobility of artists and employees of the cultural sector, the mobility of works of art and the development of intercultural dialogue. The project fortified relations between co-organisers, which will in turn lead to further international cultural events in Europe, this year and the next.

“Beyond the stage ? new trends in European theatre” examined the phenomenon of using new media on stage, and their impact on creating new meanings and relations in a play. Introducing digital technology to the theatre, as well as the presence of film, television and digital media in contemporary stage productions are significant features of the theatre of the 21^st century. The project’s originators intended to trace the influence of new media on various forms of art, in the context of using them on stage.

Those elements of the project which took place in Poland were held from 1^st May 2009 to 31^st December 2009. The project’s coordinator was the Theatrum Gedanense Foundation, its co-organisers Gyulai Várszínház of Hungary, London Metropolitan University from Great Britain, and the British theatre company Parrabbola.

A meeting for co-organisers was held in London on 9th June 2009. Participants of the meeting discussed the division of tasks, formal and financial issues as well as questions concerning the substance of the project. The meeting, which was held at one of the co-organisers’ headquarters, London Metropolitan University, was attended by representatives of the project’s coordinator and co-organisers.

The Shakespeare Festival in Gyula, Hungary, hosted by co-organiser Gyulai Várszínház, was held from 26th June to 9th August 2009. During the festival, the productions of the project’s other co-organisers were performed, among others. Workshops were held from 6th-9th July at London Metropolitan University; on 8th July, Gdańsk’s Wybrzeże Theatre put on “The Taming of the Shrew”, a performance which had won a distinction in a competition organised by Theatrum Gedanense Foundation for best Polish Shakespearian theatre production; further workshops by London Metropolitan University were held on 9th July; on 10th July the LMU group presented a play called “More than a woman?”.

A series of other events also took place as part of the project, during the 13th Shakespeare Festival in Gdańsk in August 2009: a conference on multimedia in theatre, called “Blending Media. Art in the Theatre/Theatre in the Arts”; theatrical performances from Great Britain, Hungary, Romania, the USA and Poland; a broad educational program; theatrical installations inspired by fashion shows; and a number of complementary events.

The idea for the “Blending Media” conference arose in London’s Tate Modern, during an exhibition on multimedia, or rather as the result of observation and the need to discuss new trends in world art. Thanks to this, Gdańsk was able to host leading world-class researchers and specialists (among others Marvin Carlson, Eli Rozik, Patrice Pavis, Dalibor Martinis, Erika Fisher-Lichte, Bryan Reynolds, Maria Shevtsova), to discuss the issue of multimedia ? a phenomenon which equally affects contemporary art and theatre. These world class scholars gave 20 lectures, accompanied by a series of complementary activities, including multimedia presentations, meetings with directors, and performances. It was also a wonderful opportunity to promote Gdańsk as a centre of dynamically developing culture. The conference was held from 1st to 5th August in the Old Town Hall at Korzenna Street in Gdańsk.

Thanks to European Union funds, it was possible to enhance the scope of the Shakespeare Festival performances with productions which carry innovative and interesting elements of performance art. As part of the project, The Wooster Group (USA), the festival’s undisputed star, gave four performances of “Hamlet”, directed by Elizabeth LeCompte. The performance was an innovative interpretation of the play, based on a filmed version of “Hamlet” with Richard Burton, from the 1960s.  Other stagings included: “Richard III” by the Hungarian Theatre in Cluj in co-operation with Gyula Castle Theatre, “Hamlet” from the National Theatre in Sibiu (Romania) and a workshop performance by LMU. All of these productions made extensive use of the capabilities of contemporary media. Complementing this review of the various faces of contemporary theatre was a presentation of an interactive work in progress, based on “The Tempest”, by the Parrabbola theatre company from Great Britain.

Among additional events there were multimedia presentations accompanying the conference (Dalibor Martinis, “Performing Public Memories” and “Coded Confessions”; Thomas Maritius / Andrzej Wirth, “Wilson’s Island”; Renato Rizzi, a presentation of the Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre); ten successful performances of the multimedia staging of a Shakespearian fashion show called “The Two Windows Performance” by TwO; three concerts at the festival’s club, and a theatrical street parade combined with workshop presentations.

The project activated young people, who could choose from a variety of workshops. Eight workshops were conducted (the topics being theatre, multimedia, dance, literature, journalism, photography and murals, among others). The workshops were concluded by presentations of the young artists’ accomplishments.

The subsequent educational undertaking within the “Beyond the stage” project was a series of four open lectures at the Baltic Sea Cultural Centre. They were given by: Prof. Małgorzata Sugiera (Jagiellonian University, Kraków, lecture title “The Sex of Rosalind ? new readings of ‘As You Like It’ and ‘Twelfth Night’); Prof. Jerzy Sapiejewski (American University, Washington D.C., USA, lecture title “Music and mood in theatre”, a lecture combined with a concert); Prof. Jay Halio (University of Delaware, USA, “Controversy Surrounding Shakespeare’s Shylock”); it was possible to attend these lectures as well as one which was combined with a screening of the film “Romeo and Julia, the Ballet of Izadora Weiss”.

An integral element of each edition of the festival is the chance to meet with directors and actors. This edition was no different ? the artists were available for 12 debates directly following performances.

It should be noted that the initiative in question is the Theatrum Gedanense Foundation’s subsequent step forward in its consistent efforts to create the European Shakespeare Festivals Network (ESFN), thanks to which multinational productions of Shakespeare’s works may be performed in many European cities. Among them are Polish performances, such as “Hamlet” by the Polski Theatre from Wrocław, directed by Monika Pęcikiewicz, a participant of last year’s Gdańsk festival, who will also be a guest in Craiova, Romania, at one of the largest Shakespeare festivals in Europe. Members of the ESFN also met (6th August in Sopot) as part of the project. During this meeting they shared their experiences in running the project, discussed the possibilities of expanding the network, and spoke about the most interesting Shakespeare theatre productions to be taken into consideration for future projects within the network.

Gyulai Várszínház/Gyula Castle Theatre, Programme of the Shakespeare Festival 2009, 29 June – 12 July2009:

29 Jun. Opening of the 5th Shakespeare Festival in front of the Castle; Shakespeare and the jazz – Harcsa Veronika Quartet concert

29-30 Jun. Love is my sin William Shakespeare’s sonnets Erkel Culture Centre, Directed by: Peter Brook; The new production of Théátre des Bouffes du Nord of Paris

30 Jun. Mystery of Shakespeare (Eng. Film) Chamber theatre

1 Jul.–9 Aug. The Whole World is a Theatre Chamber theatre; Actor’s portraits from Shakespeare performances; Photo Exhibition Opening

2 Jul. As You Like It Chamber theatre; DVD film of Katona J. Theatre perform. (1983); Directed by: Gábor Székely

2,3,4 Jul. As You Like It Castle Stage; Comedy directed by Attila Vidnyánszky; Joint-production of Gyula Castle Theatre and Illyés Gyula Hungarian National Theatre of Beregszász (Berehovo)

3 Jul. Richard II Chamber theatre; Eng. film (1978), director: David Giles

4 Jul. Shakespeare in Love Kohán Gallery; Concert of London Baroque group and Emma Kirkby soprano singer (UK)

5 Jul. Othello annotations Chamber theatre; dance performance to Shakespeare’s drama; Production of Kompánia Színházi Társulat (Kompania Theatrical Company)(H)

5 Jul. Angara Chamber theatre; etnojazz concert, awarded a prize of Fringe Budapest 2009; Music group of Kompania Theatre Company

6–9 Jul. Workshops with London Metropolitan University Castle stage

6 Jul. David Yengibarjan (Armenia) Erkel Culture House; accordion etnojazz concert

6 Jul. Macbeth Erkel Culture House; Director: Armen Khandikyan; Performance of Yerevan Drama Theatre (Armenia)

7 Jul. Shakespeare’s favorite instrument Castle cellar; Lute concert by István Kónya

7 Jul. The Mercant of Venice Chamber Theatre;Director: Sándor Zsótér; Production of Gárdonyi Géza Theatre from Eger (H)

8 Jul. The Taming of the Shrew Chamber Theatre; It-Am-Eng film (1976), director: Franco Zeffirelli

8 Jul. The Taming of the Shrew Erkel Culture House; The best Polish Shakespeare performance 2008/2009; Director: Szymon Kaczmarek, Wybrzeze Theatre Gdansk (PL)

9 Jul. Workshops Castle stage; Pieces of A Midsummer Night’s Dream; London Metropolitan University

9 Jul. Richard II – career story Chamber Theatre; Director: András Almási-Tóth; Production of Kamaraszínház (Repertory Theatre) from Budapest (H)

10 Jul. Shakespeare and Eastern Europe Mogyoróssy Library; Conference

10 Jul. More Than a Woman… Chamber Theatre; Comedy with music, Performance of London Metropolitan University (GB)

11 Jul. Géza Bereményi: “The Queen of Shakespeare” Chamber Theatre; DVD film of Hevesi S. Theatre Zalaegerszeg performance (2001)

11 Jul. Romeo and Juliet Erkel Culture House; Director: Oskaras Korsunovas; Festival rewarded production of OKT/Vilnius City Theatre (Lithuania)

12 Jul. LÍR Chamber Theatre; Director: Sándor Zsótér; Performance University of Theatre Budapest

12 Jul. Shakespeare and Géza Szőcs Chamber Theatre; Conversation with Géza Szőcs author (H); Host: Tibor Elek

During the festival, the productions of some of the project’s co-organisers were performed, among others. Workshops were held from 6th to 9th July at London Metropolitan University; on 8th July, Gdańsk Wybrzeże Theatre put on The Taming of the Shrew, a performance which had won a distinction in the competition organised by Theatrum Gedanense Foundation for the best Polish Shakespearian theatre production; further workshops by London Metropolitan University were held on 9th July; on 10th July the LMU group presented a play called More than a woman….

Website: http://www.shakespearefesztival.hu/?lang=en

Performances are accompanied by meetings with their creators: directors, actors, playwrights. The festival becomes a natural platform for encounters and intellectual exchanges between artists and people of culture from around the globe. The organisers’ aim is to transform the Gdańsk Shakespeare Festival into one of the most important international theatre festivals in Europe. The event contributes to the promotion of Gdańsk and the TriCity on a national and international scale. As a testimony to this, the European Shakespeare Festivals Network was initiated in 2006, and has its headquarters in Gdańsk.

For years the festival has also included an extensive educational program: “The Shakespeare Summer Academy”, aimed at young people from Poland and abroad, the educational event “Closer to Theatre” for secondary school children from the Pomerania region, and “Dolne Miasto Talent Factory”, for residents of a neglected district of Gdańsk. Our educational activities are meant to reach out to young people who are deprived of access to high culture and arts students in Poland and abroad. We would like to put them in touch with world-class theatre.

Website: http://shakespearefestival.pl/

The idea for the “Blending Media” conference arose in London, in the Tate Modern Gallery, during an exhibition on multimedia, or rather as the result of observation and the need to discuss new trends in the world art. The conference, chaired by Professor Jerzy Limon, was held from 1st to 5th August in the Old Town Hall at Korzenna Street in Gdańsk. In organization of the conference, the Gdańsk Shakespearean Theatre and Theatrum Gedanense Foundation cooperated with the University of Gdańsk and the Adam Mickiewicz Institute. As a result, Gdańsk had the opportunity to host 24 leading world-class researchers and specialists from10 countries (among the keynote speakers were Marvin Carlson, Eli Rozik, Patrice Pavis, Dalibor Martinis, Erika Fisher-Lichte, Bryan Reynolds, Maria Shevtsova) who discussed the issue of multimedia – a phenomenon which equally affects contemporary art and theatre. These distinguished scholars gave 20 lectures, which were accompanied by a series of supplementary activities, including multimedia presentations, meetings with directors, and performances. It was also a wonderful opportunity to promote Gdańsk as a centre of dynamically developing culture.
A distinctive feature of the conference was the combination of both the theoretical and the artistic elements. Among the invited speakers were often people who joined scholarly and artistic work. Steve Dixon, for example, is the author of a monograph entitled Digital Performance but also a leader of an experimental theatre group (The Chameleons Group). The presentation of Dalibor Martinis, a Croatian video artist, was preceded by Professor Jerzy Limon’s discussion of the artist’s work Supper At Last. The very popular discussion panel on The Wooster Group was led by Professor Maria Shevtsova. Elizabeth LeCompte, the director of the legendary group, as well as its members: Ali Fliakos, Kate Valk, and Cynthia Hedstrom all took part in the discussion presenting their artistic techniques and methods of work.
Several multimedia presentations accompanied the conference. These were Dalibor Martinis’ Performing Public Memories and Coded Confessions, Thomas Maritius’ and Andrzej Wirth’s video-essay Wilson’s Island, and a presentation of Renato Rizzi’s project of the Gdańsk Shakespearean Theatre.
The conference resulted in the publication of a book (in Polish as well as in English) which comprises selected papers. This publication is intended to be distributed in the centres of academic cultural research in Europe and around the world.

For more information see: Blending Media website

The workshops, which gathered over 200 participants, can be divided into two categories: theatrical (which developed acting, multimedia, dance and creative writing skills) and creative (concerned with journalism, photography and fine arts).

The programme of the theatrical workshops:

• 1 Aug. – multimedia (stop motion animation) – Maciej Szupica (ASP Gdańsk, Poland)
• 2–3 Aug. – multimedia on the base of Hamlet – The Wooster Group (New York, USA)
• 2–4 Aug. – multimedia on the base of The Tempest – A. Lavender, P. Parr, Parrabbola/Lightworks (UK)
• 5–7 Aug.-acting – Gian Carlo Rossi, London Metropolitan Univeristy (London, UK)
• 5–6 Aug.-dance – Emma Lauranne Perris, London Metropolitan University (London, UK)
• 6–7 Aug.-creative writing – Pavel Drabek (Brno, Czech Republic)

creative workshops included:

• journalism – the participants worked every day of the festival on creating, editing, and publishing the “Shakespeare Daily” gazette; editor in chief – Katarzyna Steńczyk;
• fine arts: “Shakespeare in Pink” – creating Shakespearean murals; workshops conducted by Iwona Zając (a painter and artist from the Gdańsk Shipyard) – the workshops culminated in an exhibition of murals (August 4) made in the underpass in Gdańsk city centre;
• photography – documenting festival events; workshops conducted by photographers Stanisław Składanowski and Wiesław Czerniawski.

Two competitions were organized during and after the Festival: “Shots of Shakespeare: the 5^th exposure” – for the best photograph taken during the Festival; and “The Swan’s Quill” – for the best review of a Festival performance. About 50 people took part in the two competitions which were open for general public.

The open lectures, which gathered significant audience, consisted of “Shakespeare’s Shylock and Its Controversies” by Professor Jay L. Halio from the University of Delaware, USA (August 5); “The Gender of Rosalind. New Readings of As You Like It and Twelfth Night” by Professor Małgorzata Sugiera and Mateusz Borowski from the Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland (August 6); a lecture and concert presentation entitled “Music and the Ambiance of Live Theatre” by Professor Jerzy Sapieyevski from the American University, Washington DC, USA (August 7); and a film presentation of a performance entitled Romeo and Juliet. Izadora Weiss’s Ballet (August 7).

An important part of each festival are the meetings and discussions with guest artists held after performances in theatres. This year was not different in this respect; the following ten meetings were scheduled:

• 1 Aug.-Thomas Marceul (Naxos Theatre Group, France) – Scena Kameralna, Sopot
• 2 Aug. – Parrabbola/Lightworks (UK) – Klub Żak, Gdańsk
• The Propeller Theatre Group (Watermill Theatre, UK) – Wybrzeże Theatre, Gdańsk
• 4 Aug. – The Wooster Group (USA) – Musical Theatre, Gdynia
• 6 Aug. - Miriam Goldsmith (Zurich Schauspielhaus, Switzerland) – Wybrzeże Theatre, Gdańsk
• 7 Aug. - Wybrzeże Theatre (Gdańsk, Poland) – Wybrzeże Theatre, Gdańsk
• 8 Aug. – The Hungarian Theatre of Cluj (Cluj, Romania) – Musical Theatre, Gdynia
• 9 Aug. – London Metropolitan University (UK) - Królewska Fabryka Karabinów, Gdańsk
• The Stefan Jaracz Theatre (Łódź, Poland) – Wybrzeże Theatre, Gdańsk
• 10 Aug. – The Radu Stanca National Theatre (Romania) – Musical Theatre, Gdynia

There were also two meetings held at the request of the audience: with Bremer Shakespeare Company (Germany) on August 5 in the Wybrzeże Theatre; and with the artists from the London Metropolitan University in Królewska Fabryka Karabinów. All the meetings gathered around 600 people.

Three special nights with Festival’s guest artists were organized in the Festival Club (Mon Balzac and La Dolce Vita in the Gdańsk Old Town): A Midsummer Night’s Dream (August 3), Shakespearean Mix (August 5), and All’s Well that Ends Well (August 10).

The whole Festival was devoted to probably the most famous of all Shakespearean plays, namely Hamlet. This Festival’s distinctive feature was the wide variety of cultural and artistic events; the programme included not only Shakespearean performances, but also film screenings, workshops, book launches, and exhibitions. The conference gathered renowned scholars from all around the world (among others George Banu, Maria Shevtsova, Ian Herbert). Among the performances of Hamlet was the legendary staging by The Wooster Group directed by Elizabeth LeCompte (May 6–9).

Thanks to the project, the Romanian audience could see Hamlet – a production of Polski Theatre in Wrocław, directed by Monika Pęcikiewicz. The performance was awarded a special prize in the Competition for the best Polish staging of a Shakespeare’s play in the 2007/2008 season. This Hamlet’s character was well explained by Paweł Sztarbowski in his review “Hamlet bez Hamleta” (“Hamlet without Hamlet”) published on June 2, 2008 in Newsweek Polska:

Hamlet as directed by Monika Pęcikiewicz is not a set book at school through which you can pass by following well-worn paths. Almost all the figures and situations have been turned around, stripped of obviousness – the main protagonist seems to be almost absent – he passes across the stage, his actions are faked. The only break in this is the scene in Gertrude’s bedroom, in which Hamlet at first ineffectually tries to punish his mother but then, with the onset of madness, almost rapes her. The most fascinating element, however, in this Hamlet is Ophelia, who, entwined in an incestuous relationship with her brother and father, goes mad not so much for love of Hamlet but because she can no longer cope with the death of her father. It is she who, from off-stage, delivers the most famous soliloquy, “To be or not to be”, because she alone in this burned-out world can still ask about ultimate matters… And it is Ophelia who, by stepping out of her role and showing the theatricality and stylisation of all events, begins to uncover the falseness in which the remaining protagonists exist.

The programme of the Festival was as follows:

Craiova:

23 Apr.

• The official opening of the International Shakespeare Festival
• Hamlet, O.K. Municipal Theater of Vilnius (Lithuania), dir. Oskar Korsunovas
• Exhibition openings: Hamlet on Romanian Stages – documentary exhibition by Christian Picu; Hamlet – Translations and Exegeses – book exhibition; The Hamletian Universe – art Exhibition; Shakespeare and Hamlet – philately exhibition
• International Shakespeare Prize awarding ceremony, laureate: Silviu Purcărete

24 Apr.

• Shakespeare Theatre Studies – Great Hamlet Performances – discussion (Part I)
• Hamlet: A Monologue an event-encounter with Robert Wilson and a video recording of his performance
• Book launch: Robert Wilson by Maria Shevtsova

25 Apr.

• Shakespeare Theatre Studies – Great Hamlet Performances – discussion (Part II)
• Hamlet, Ryutopia Noh Theatre (Japan), dir. Yoshihiro Kurtia

26 Apr.

• Worldwide Hamlet in Performance and Translation – discussion (Part I)
• Hamlet, Polski Theatre of Wrocław (Poland), dir. Monika Pęcikiewicz

27 Apr.

• Worldwide Hamlet in Performance and Translation – discussion (Part II)
• Exhibition openings: Hamlet and the Light of Glass by Michai Ţopescu; Hamlet the Thinker by Dana Anuşca and Florin Grădinaru; The Tragedy of Hamlet – the projection of the performance’s recording from Bouffes du Nord Theatre from Paris, directed by Peter Brook;
• Hamlet – part I, National Theatre Craiova, dir. Gabor Tompa

28 Apr.

• Book launches: Shakespeare’s Sonnets by Stanley Wells and Paul Edmonson; Hamlet or the Temptation of the Possible by Ion Omescu; Sonnets by William Shakespeare (translated by Violeta Popa); Hamlet by William Shakespeare (translated by George Volceanov; Shakespeare: The World’s a Stage, an anthology of Shakespeare studies edited by George Banu
• Board meeting of the European Network of Shakespeare Festivals
• Hamlet, Theatre Academy of Shanghai (China), dir. Richard Schechner

29 Apr.

• Hamlet (Act I) – A Study – theatre workshop prepared by the students of Actor’s Art Department
• Exhibition of Elizabethan costumes by the students in Stage Design
• Hamlet – a one-man show performed by Piotr Kondrat (Poland)
• Renaissance music concert performed by Andy Rouse (UK) and the “Simply English” Group (Hungary)

30 Apr.

• Book, CD and DVD launches: Shakespeare’s Hamlet in Romania 1778–2008: A Study in Translation, Performance and Cultural Adaptation by Nicoleta Cinpoeş; Hamlet after Hamlet – audio CD of five radio programs by Ion Parhon; Reading Shakespeare: Hamlet and Other Essays by Andrzej Żurowski; Hamlet Performances by Adrienne Darvay; Hamlet in Musical Creations – symphonic concert performed by the orchestra of the Oltenia Philharmonic of Craiova, conductor: Romeo Râmbu
• Hamlet vs. Hamlet – stage encounter of Michael Pennington and Ion Caramitru
• Book launch: From Hamlet to Hamlet and Beyond by Mircea Morairu

1 May

• Theatre Studies Workshop (Part I)
• Hamlet, Schaubuhne Theater of Berlin (Germany), dir. Thomas Ostermeier

2 May

• Theatre Studies Workshop (Part II)
• Just Hamlet – an essay-performance by the “Marin Sorescu” National Theatre in co-operation with the Oltenia Philharmonic Orchestra of Craiova, dir. Alina Rece

3 May

• Theatre Studies Workshop (Part III)
• Just Hamlet – a movie on the Hamletian Universe as seen in everyday life, dir. Bogdan Cristian Drăgan
• Hamlet, Street Theatre Group (South Corea), dir. Lee Youn Taek

May 4

• Theatre Studies Workshop (Part IV)
• Hamlet, the Meno Fortas Theatre in Vilnius (Lithuania), dir. Eimuntas Nekrosius
• The official closing ceremony of the International Shakespeare Festival

Bucharest:

Apr. 24

• The official Opening of the International Shakespeare Festival in Bucharest
• Hamlet, Schaubühne Theatre (Germany), dir. Thomas Ostermeier

Apr. 25

• Hamlet, Schaubühne Theatre (Germany), dir. Thomas Ostermeier

May 6

• Hamlet, The Wooster Group (USA), dir. Elizabeth LeCompte

May 7

• Hamlet, The Wooster Group (USA), dir. Elizabeth LeCompte

May 8

• Hamlet, Metropolis Theatre in Bucharest (Romania), dir. Laszlo Bocsardi
• Hamlet, The Wooster Group (USA), dir. Elizabeth LeCompte

May 9

• Priamus, Tisbe 4 You, Odeon Theatre in Bucharest, dir. Alexandru Dabija – preamble to the 2012 edition of the International Shakespeare Festival
• Hamlet, The Wooster Group (USA), dir. Elizabeth LeCompte
• The official closing ceremony of the International Shakespeare Festival in Bucharest