„The Circus”

Presented at the Cricot 2 Theatre in 1957, the premiere of “The Circus”, based on Kazimierz Mikulski’s play, took place at the Artists’ House in Krakow. It was directed and staged by Tadeusz Kantor, while costumes and make-up were designed by Maria Jarema. Painted by Kantor in tempera and pastels on cardboard, the design reveals a stage with trees at the back. In the middle of the picture there is a figure of an actor, on the left there is an armchair. Combined with coloured elements, the dark colour scheme of the drawing communicates the atmosphere of the performance and a feeling of semi-darkness of the drafted scene, revealing shapes, colours and nuances of theatrical lighting. The work casts light on the specific beginnings of the Cricot 2 Theatre, which – in aesthetic terms – referred to pre-war Cricot, mostly through Maria Jarema’s designs.