Spartacus. Love in the time of plague

In 2020 and 2021, Janusz Schwertner's reports made a significant impact, shaking public opinion with stories about teenage patients and their parents entangled in the child psychiatric care system. These materials, expanded with our own documentary work, served as a starting point for creating the play. SPARTACUS: Love in the time of plague is not only a story about a specific group and branch of medicine but an attempt to examine how we care for each other in today's Poland.

Seeking to move beyond existing disputes, we invited dozens of individuals from various backgrounds, including the Rural Housewives Association from the village of Stobno, Lambda Szczecin, a group representing LGBTQ+ individuals, artists gathered around the Contemporary Theatre and the Academy of Art in Szczecin, as well as doctors and experts working with children and youth in suicidal crisis.

Together, we want to make it clear that the right to love and self-determination belongs to everyone, and caring for those who cry out for help and acceptance is the responsibility of us all.

If you have suicidal thoughts or are in a suicidal crisis, please call 116 111.

The information you provided lists the representatives of Lambda Szczecin, the Rural Housewives Association from the village of Stobno, and students from the Academy of Art in Szczecin. It also mentions consultants in child psychiatry, suicidology, and medical rescue:

Lambda Szczecin Representatives: Irys Barda, Emilia Donart, Łukasz Lanica, Madzia Marciniak, Kody Pyrozhenko, Nora Rodziewicz, Rita Skalskx, Laura Tabaka, Monika Tichy, Andrzej Witczak, Gerard Wojakowski, Fryderyk Zambor.

Rural Housewives Association (Koło Gospodyń Wiejskich) from Stobno: Barbara Dąbrowska, Urszula Jankowska, Alina Jasiorska, Marianna Kemplia, Jadwiga Kołcz, Grażyna Łatka, Teresa Matyja, Magdalena Nowotniak, Grzegorz Nowotniak, Krystyna Oczoś, Halina Partyka, Bożena Piotrowska, Jolanta Resiak, Jan Śnieg, Marzena Winiarczyk, Halina Żyjewska.

Students from the Academy of Art in Szczecin: Inez Dapszus, Anastazja Stańczyk, Dorota Szynkaruk, Alicja Woland.

Consultant in Child Psychiatry: Dr. Maja Herman. Consultant in Suicidology: Danuta Sowińska. Consultants in Medical Rescue: Rozalia Jaz, Wojciech Maciantowicz.

The media partner of the play is Onet.

Theatrical podcast: No one would choose this for themselves - a report. The narrators are Alicja and Marianna (participants in the wedding ceremony), Monika "Pacyfka" Tichy (Lambda Poland), Jakub Skrzywanek (director), and Daniel Rycharski (set design). Conversation in Polish

Photo by Karolina Babińska, layout by Pełnia Studio

SAY 'YES' ON THE STAGE!

We invite non-heteronormative couples to take part in a performative wedding ceremony during the performance. Applications (for adults only): [email protected].

AWARDS AND FESTIVALS:

• The play reached the finals of the 29th Nationwide Competition for Staging Polish Contemporary Art.
• The play was showcased at the 29th International Festival of Pleasant and Unpleasant Arts in Łódź and the 43rd Warsaw Theatre Meetings.
• The play was presented at the 2nd International Festival of Young Artists Nova Komedie in Prague and at Divadelní svět Brno.