The Independent Belarusian Theater in Poland: Three Seasons in Exile

Abstract

The article is dedicated to Belarusian theatre in Poland following the 2020 protests. The author examines the repertoire of exile theatre, studies both quantitative and qualitative aspects of its functioning within a foreign culture and a market-based economy. Independent Belarusian theatre, destroyed, banned, and exiled from its homeland, has been reborn in Poland. Over the past three seasons (2021–2024), thanks to the solidarity of the people of Polish theatre and support of the Polish state in the form of a system of grants and residencies, several new theatre groups and creative associations have emerged. The main subject of analysis is the thematic areas explored by Belarusian creators. The themes of the performances determine the choice of formal means of expression, while theatrical forms, in turn, influence how the audience perceives and interprets the content of the performances. The author identifies four paths of communication with the audience, tracing the relationship between artistic content and the choice of appropriate expressive forms. What and how does Belarusian theatre in exile communicate? It speaks of protests, repression, political prisoners, the experiences of emigration, and war – through documentary theatre; of universal existential issues – using classical and contemporary Belarusian literature; of Belarusian culture and identity – by incorporating folklore and the energy of music; and of the contemporary world – combining visual, physical, and musical codes at the intersection of various theatrical genres in an intensive dialogue with European art.