Cellar Under the Rams – Wiesław Dymny in performance

High above the Gothic vault of the basement, resembling a fish caught in a net, there dangles a man, naked from the waist up. Such acrobatic circus-like stage antics in the Cellar Under the Rams were signature feats of Wiesław Dymny, the cabaret regular right from the very beginning. In his early days, he focused on tightrope walking (where the rope was stretched between chairs) and on other stunts: somersaults or headstands. He culminated his performances with a short punchline. In Stage Lighting Rehearsal (1957), Dymny painted, hanging above the audience. Gradually, he pushed the envelope further. In Lake of Prophetesses (1959), he was suspended by climbing ropes, swinging above the audibly startled spectators. At the same time, performing a series of demanding gymnastic exercises, he delivered one of his monologues. The artist often played the role of a clown, putting on a self-made costume. With a fake padded belly, wearing a bowler hat and wireframe glasses, and strumming the double bass, he looked the part, making his viewers roar with laughter. What’s more, everything he did on stage led to the absolute ridicule of the persona he embodied as part of his act. For instance, the objects he juggled fell unceremoniously to the floor. In the 1970s, Dymny changed his tack: he abandoned acrobatics and focused on monologues. In his comedy he relied on deadpan humour: he was known for faux solemn reading of illogical and absurd texts.
Wiesław Dymny was a versatile artist: apart from stage performances, he wrote short stories, scripts, poems, and lyrics, including some of the Cellar all-time favourites, such as Konie apokalipsy (Horses of the Apocalypse) and Czarne anioły (Black Angels). He also painted, drew, and created set designs. At a push, he tailored costumes and made furniture. He was a photographer and a leader of Szwagry (Brothers-in-law), a proto-rock band. As an artist, he was also associated with other Kraków-based theatres and clubs, including Remiza (Fire station), his very own cabaret.