27 listopada 2022 / November 27, 2022 --- OSTATNI WIECZÓR Z EDITH / THE LAST EVENING WITH EDITH ---

www.sikora-create.com
TEATR POLONIA / POLONIA THEATER
27 listopada 2022 / November 27, 2022
OSTATNI WIECZÓR Z EDITH / THE LAST EVENING WITH EDITH
teatrpolonia.pl/event-data/29...
e-teatr.pl/zjawiskowa-i-czula...
"Phenomenal and compassionate" by Konrad Pruszyński
Jean Cocteau’s “Piękny i Nieczuły” directed by Edward Wojtaszek in Theater Polonia,
Warsaw. Written by Konrad Pruszczyński on his blog.
“Piękny i Nieczuły” has been played by now over ninety times, and as of last sunday
28.11.2022 it was performed for the last time on stage of Theater Polonia. Show directed
and translated by Edward Wojtaszek with Natalia Sikora as the main star, may have shone
its last light, but it certainly left a vivid memory to cherish for the viewers that gathered inside
the Krystyna Janda’s Theater that day.
Edith Piaf is - and always has been - beloved by all. “Poets sang praise of her and
custodians adored her. She was loved by intellectuals, artists and newsvendors alike’’ as
claimed by Juzef Opalski. It was for her that Jean Cocteau wrote this particular one-act play
back in 1940.
“Piękny i Nieczuły” is a story of immense love that holds almost an authoritarian-like power
over the main heroine. It is among the kind of which the french sparrow had sung in “Hymne
à l’amour” - the kind of feeling towards which one is loyal and obedient. I will renounce my
homeland, I will deny my friends - if only you as much as ask of me to do so. They may
mock me and think me a fool, but I will do as you please. It is love that is the cause of the
main heroine's greatest suffering - especially after returning from a filled to the brim concert
hall to an empty and quiet house. The sheer-cold indifference and grave silence of her
partner Emil is the very last nail in the heroine’s coffin. She rolls convulsively on the ground,
threatens with taking of her own life, and lets the wind carry many, many words of emotion,
all of it a vain attempt at having the man of her life show an ounce of affection. When she
remains alone, she finds solace and redemption in music. Arms spread wide open as if
nailed to a cross during the performance of “Padam, padam” are a clear indication of how
music and the audience become the sole purpose of existence for the heroine. They become
a substitute for family and love which her offstage life was devoid of.
“Piękny i Nieczuły” is more than just pretty, picture-like scenography. It is first and foremost a
phenomenal display of artistry and acting craft performed by Natalia Sikora. The way she
fiddles with her voice, motion, facial expression, breath. Purposely musters various twitches,
hoarseness of voice, invokes a convulsive cough just to seamlessly break into an even more
intense laughter... All it is but a proof of immense talent that Sikora possesses. About
various francophone performances of Piaf’s music such as „Non, je ne regrette rien”, „Mon
Dieu”, „Padam, padam” and „Les prisons du roy” we can’t say anything else other than that
they were just as deeply moving as they were simply brilliant. The craft behind the entirety of
Sikora’s performance - both vocal and acting wise - felt real and palpable. Every single word,
be it sung or spoken has been physiologically processed to bring forth the full, wide
spectrum of emotion that it was supposed to convey. It doesn’t strike as a surprise then, that
after finishing her adventure with the french sparrow, Natalia Sikora is to return to the stage
of Theater Polonia in January, to perform the works of a supposed black angel of polish
music - Ewa Demarczyk’s. The victor of one of the most popular talent shows in Poland does
in fact have THE ZAZZ, that special something - some kind of mystery and sincerity that sets
her apart from the rest of the music-theater industry and underworld. When watching Natalia
Sikora perform in “Piękny Nieczuły” one doesn’t want to - nor should they - peel their eyes
away, even for a split second.
“Edith Piaf’s art feels truly immortal, since it touches upon everyone’s injured heart.” says
Juzef Opalski on the show’s agenda. I do believe that the remembrance of this performance
will stay unflinching and eternal inside the hearts of the audience. One would wish to cite
Piaf singing; „Mon Dieu... Laisse-la-moi encore un peu à moi...” (“My God... Do let her stay
by my side, if even for a moment”)
Translated by
Mikołaj Rumniak and Krzysztof Marciniak