Assemblies of Rural Theatre Groups
Joy, folklore and culture
What are the Assemblies (Sejmiki)? First and foremost a meeting of people who, in creating a theatrical performance, seek the truth: about their origins, language, music or costume. Thanks to the fact that they come from different parts of Poland, we have an overview of the various cultures which make up Polish culture. It is also a meeting of actor and spectator, during which we are transported into a magical world of old customs, legends and rituals. The amateur actors proudly present traditional folk costumes of their region on stage. Thanks to them, we have a chance to remember what folk traditions look like (‘Mardi Gras’, ‘Zapusty’, ‘Midsummer Night’, ‘Wreathing garlands’, ‘Walking with the Star’), old customs, suppressed rituals or listen to traditional folk music to the sound of ancient instruments.
It is an opportunity to see objects which have already fallen into disuse: the flail, the spindle, the iron with a soul or wooden, hand-made toys. Theatrical performances are based on festivities (village wedding, christening, funeral, wedding banquet, Christmas, Easter), but also on everyday village work, e.g. cabbage-squeezing, feather-decking, bread-baking, potato-digging. The Assemblies bring together children, young people, grandparents and grandmothers. Together they perform on stage, creating an amazing spectacle, full of emotion and emotion. They learn from each other. Older people can share their experiences and traditions, while younger generations can bring new perspectives and questions.
Community of the assemblies
The actors we watch during the performance have dealt with what they portray on stage on a daily basis for part of their lives. As a result, you can admire their naturalness, realism and emotion. They are real and do not have to pretend anything.
‘The type of acting is special. Especially in performances thematically linked to rituals, traditional scenarios of festivals and celebrations or work. We see characters so authentic on stage that no professional actor could play like that. This is due to the actors’ knowledge of the traditions and history of the region or locality from which they come, their attachment to their dialect and their love of culture, which can be accessed through contact with older generations. Authenticity manifests itself in natural behaviour – such as that required by the character played and the action performed’. – recalls Edward Wojtaszek in his book ‘Treasures of the Tarnogród Stage. 40 years of the All-Poland Assemblies of Polish Rural Theatres in Tarnogród’. But it is not only actors who make up the Sejmik community. They are also scientists and practitioners, including ethnologists, ethnomusicologists, theatrologists, directors who participate in the work of the Artistic Council.
Local authorities, cultural institutions, voluntary fire brigades, rural housewives’ circles, NGOs, volunteers and, of course, the audience, without whom no performance makes sense, are actively involved in the organisation of the Assemblies. The audience often has the opportunity to taste country cakes, bread, dumplings and quince or nut liqueurs, which the actors serve to the audience after the performance.
Magic of theatre
A theatrical performance is there to be a conversation, and the conversation is there to create documentation and encouragement for the next performance. This is how the idea of the Assembly (Sejmik) can be described in a nutshell. It is also a meeting of people who are working on a performance and come to discuss, talk and learn from others. Hence the name of the event – Sejmikowanie (assembly). Everyone can express their opinion and put it up for discussion. The artistic board, the ensemble and the audience, the observers, can all speak about one performance. And every voice is equally important. The ensembles share their output with both the audience and the experts, while the experts pass on their knowledge of safeguarding heritage and creating theatrical performances to the ensembles and the audience. The hosts also actively participate in this exchange by providing the stage, facilities and objects. The assemblies create a unique atmosphere full of enthusiasm, creativity and community. They attract theatre enthusiasts and create magic, full of positive energy. They are not only performances by ensembles and workshops, but also backstage talks and discussions between visiting instructors and cultural activists and representatives of local authorities. It is also meetings and discussions with participants and guests of the assemblies, with their rich, artistic personalities.
‘Tarnogród also has its own unique, warm and friendly atmosphere created by the organisers and participants – both in the theatre hall and during the evening integration meetings or night parties in the accommodation areas. All this creates a beautiful, colourful assembly legend that is remembered for years to come. ‘*.
*Zbigniew Klatka Folk Theatre ‘Tradycja’, Association for the Promotion of Folk Culture of the Alwernia Municipality.
Promotion to the dream temple
Assemblies of Rural Theatre Groups have been held continuously since 1973, every year, in five places in Poland.
– Stoczek Łukowski (since 1973), for the Lublin, Masovia, Warmia and Mazury and Podlaskie voivodeships;
– Tarnogród (since 1975), for the Lublin, Mazovia, Podkarpackie and Świętokrzyskie voivodeships;
– Bukowina Tatrzańska (since 1985), for the Małopolskie, Opolskie, Podkarpackie and Śląskie voivodeships;
– Ożarów (since 2007), for the Dolnośląskie, Lubuskie, Łódzkie, Wielkopolskie voivodeships;
– Osięciny (from 2022), for the Pomeranian, Wielkopolska and Kujawsko-Pomorskie voivodeships (until 2020 – in Kaczory).
Each year, between 35 and 50 ensembles perform on five stages. These are regional assemblies which select the best ensembles. These have the chance to present themselves at the All-Poland Assemblies of Polish Rural Theatres (since 1984). They take place once a year in October in Tarnogród. The organisation of the whole is supervised by the Society for Theatre Culture. All ensembles taking part in this Assembly receive equal prizes, as it is not a competition.
Who is behind it
If it were not for the imagination, knowledge, skills and charisma of the above-mentioned people, assemblies would probably not have come into being.
– Professor Lech Śliwonik, theatrologist, Chairman of the Board of the Society for Theatre Culture in Warsaw
– Władysław Dubaj, director of the Tarnogród Cultural Centre in 1964-2008, Renata Ćwik, director of the Tarnogród Cultural Centre since 2008
– Dr hab. Katarzyna Smyk, folklorist and professor at Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin.
We should add that the originators and initiators of assemblies of rural theatre groups are such institutions as:
– The Society for Theatre Culture (TKT), based in Warsaw, which is responsible for the programme, schedule and coordination of the annual meetings;
– Tarnogród Cultural Centre (TOK), which has been organising inter-voivodship Assemblies of Rural Theatre Groups since 1975 and a national Assemblies of Polish Rural Theatres since 1984. The TOK is an open meeting place, as well as a centre for the documentation and promotion of the rural theatre movement.
‘Treasures of the Tarnogród Stage’.
On the occasion of the 40th Anniversary Assemblies of Polish Rural Theatres, the Tarnogród Cultural Centre published a publication entitled ‘Treasures of the Tarnogród Stage’. ‘Treasures of the Tarnogród Stage’ commemorating forty years of rural theatre.
The publication is about the people of the assemblies, the ensembles and the rituals. In addition to the reminiscences of the creators and friends, it contains a wealth of photographs from the archives and from recent years of theatrical gatherings showing the extraordinary richness and diversity of these events. – We believe that this is the best form of thanking all those for whose contribution the rural theatre movement in Poland is still alive,’ emphasise representatives of the Tarnogród-based TOK.
Forewords to the publication were written by Paweł Dec, Mayor of Tarnogród, Jarosław Stawiarski, Marshal of the Lubelskie Voivodeship, Michał Mulawa, Deputy Marshal of the Lubelskie Voivodeship, and Tomasz Rogala, Biłgoraj Vice-Starost.
Władysław Dubaj and Renata Ćwik wrote an extensive text about Tarnogród assemblies in the cultural landscape of the Lublin region and Poland. Edward Wojtaszek wrote about rural theatre, and Professor Katarzyna Smyk wrote about safeguarding intangible cultural heritage through theatre.
Several dozen pages of the book are devoted to reminiscences, and there are also quotations and statements about the assemblies. The publication also includes short texts by the Artistic Council of Assemblies of Polish Rural Theatres and a 20-page text about the groups participating in Assemblies of Polish Rural Theatres and their performances, prepared by Władysław Dubaj.
The publication is crowned by a fairly extensive bibliography. The book was available, among others, during the 40th All-Poland Assemblies of Polish Rural Theatres.