From the very beginning, the egg seemed suspicious - larger than the others and less willing to crack. When a chick finally hatches from it, its appearance is unlike that of its siblings or its mother. Its inner world is different too - far richer than the grey reality of the marshlands, made harsher by cruel comments and gestures from animals unable to accept otherness. But does “different” really mean ugly and unworthy of friendship? Above all, the Ugly Duckling longs to feel important and needed. Yet it seems that only Nature is capable of accepting it unconditionally and treating it as an extraordinary and essential element of her magical puzzle. Nature becomes the Duckling’s guide on its journey toward self-acceptance and happiness - a journey that includes encounters with suspicious lizards, a trip aboard a spaceship, and many other adventures.
The performance “The Ugly Duckling” is a poetic story about tolerance and the acceptance of oneself and others. The tale unfolds in a visually rich world filled with bird feathers, wrapped in music inspired by the sounds of Nature and The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi.
Based on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen
THE UGLY DUCKLING
(Den grimme ælling)
Director: Anna Wolszczak
Adaptation, song lyrics: Magdalena Mrozińska
Set design: Marta Kodeniec
Music: Katarzyna Bem
Assistant director: Jadwiga Domka
Cast:
Jadwiga Domka
Anna Kukułowicz
Natalia Zduń
Maciej Owczarek
Running time: 50 minutes
Premiere: June 16, 2021
Photo: HaWa