(...)
You have passed through the world and you have given shape to the world through your deeds. 
Look into the world, into the shape of the world.

(...)
Groans and curses will pursue you, chase after you.
You are as powerful as God, who bears the world on his shoulder.
["The return of Odysseus; a drama in three acts." by Stanisław Wyspiański
translated with an introd. by Howard Clarke, published: Bloomington, Indiana University, 1966]

The Harvest  refers to the rituals accompanying harvest and the cycle of husbandry, nature and human life, conceptualised ethnographically (inspired, among others, by Oskar Kolberg’s studies and Zofia Kossak’s Polish Year), as well as anthropologically and philosophically. The narrative axis of the show is delineated by the trope of the return of Odysseus, based on Homer’s classic epic and Stanisław Wyspiański’s “The Return of Odysseus”.

The performers – dancers of the Polish Dance Theatre, and an actor – portray the protagonists exploring various variations of kinetic and verbal events. The physical and psychological intensity of their actions is accompanied by the ascetic visuals.

The composition of Eugeniusz Rudnik, pioneer of Polish electronic music, was used in the performance. The vocal parts, based on traditional Polish music themes, has been contributed and performed by Adam Strug.

"The Harvest" premiere inaugurated a new artistic program of the Theatre in 2017 - "The Year of Sorcerers".

Poster's project: Piotr Zdanowicz