What did Jerzy Grotowski do?



Jerzy Grotowski (born 1933) was the founder of the Laboratory Theatre in Wroclaw, Poland, an experimental theater in which attention is focused almost exclusively on the actor and his/her message, rather than on such props as costumes, music, and makeup, which were eliminated.

What is Jerzy Grotowski known for?

Jerzy Grotowski, (born August 11, 1933, Rzeszów, Poland—died January 14, 1999, Pontedera, Italy), international leader of the experimental theatre who became famous in the 1960s as the director of productions staged by the Polish Laboratory Theatre of Wrocław.

What was Jerzy Grotowski acting method?

In his method, Grotowski experienced the so-called “physiological resonators“. He asked the actors to bring out the voice from their back and their necks and from their limbs. Then, in order to stimulate the voice, he asked them to choose a text and to play, sing and shout it (Richards, 1995).

What did Jerzy Grotowski want to achieve?





Terms in this set (20)

What did Jerzy Grotowski want to achieve? He wanted actors and audience to undergo an event wherein they might spiritually confront themselves.

Why did Jerzy Grotowski create poor theatre?

work of Grotowski

staging that he called “poor theatre.” He rejected the idea that theatre should attempt to match the spectacle and effects of film and television and declared that the primary element of theatre is the relationship between actor and spectator.



Why is Grotowski so important to the world of theatre?



He invented the term ‘Poor Theatre’: a style of performance that got rid of all extraneous parts of theatre. This meant there were no lavish costumes, complicated props or detailed sets. Relied on skill of actors and required only a few props. Grotowski enjoyed working in unconventional spaces.

What methods did Grotowski create?

The tenets of Grotowski’s technique include:

  • Acting through focus and awareness: Students of Grotowski are taught in hyperfocus, which helps them break free from mental blocks that keep them from reaching the full potential of their performing ability. …
  • Human contact: …
  • Silence: …
  • Memory work: …
  • Voice: …
  • Physical training:

What were Jerzy Grotowski’s ideas about staging theatre?

The theatre, he believes, cannot be an end in itself; like dancing or music in certain dervish orders, the theatre is a vehicle, a means for self-study, a means for self-study, self-exploration, a possibility of salvation. The actor has himself as his field of work.



How does Grotowski define theatre?

The Polish director Jerzy Grotowski defines his theory of “poor theatre”: the Theatre that values the body of the actor and its relation with the spectator and does away with costumes, decor and music. The interview is punctuated with extracts from a rehearsal of the show Evangile.