AT THE LITTLE MANOR HOUSE

Costumes for the Play, 2023

Costume design for Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz’s grotesque play, staged by Jan Marek Kamiński as his graduation project in a co-production between the Aleksander Fredro Theater in Gniezno and the Aleksander Zelwerowicz Theater Academy in Warsaw. The production creates a surreal portrayal of a nobleman’s manor, where the living coexist with the dead, and eroticism, violence, and family secrets take on a degenerate, absurd form.

Each costume was tailored to the character’s personality and featured a deliberate departure from classical form. The women’s silhouettes were crafted from sheer, draped fabrics and paired with high-platform shoes and long wigs. For Aneta Wasiewiczówna, I designed a gown resembling a chasuble, with slits that looked like stitched-up wounds. Other designs included, among others, Dyapanazy’s deconstructed tuxedo-robes, Pasiukowski’s black jumpsuit, Marceli’s wide-leg pants and vest, and Kozdron’s costume with elements imitating internal organs.


In her review for the e-teatr.pl website, Kamila Łapicka highlighted the unique character of the costumes and the way in which the cracks in them corresponded to the characters’ personalities. She described the theater’s collaboration with the fashion designer as creative and fruitful. The production was selected for the finals of the 9th “Klasyka Żywa” Competition, and Jan Marek Kamiński received a special award for directing. The production was also presented during the Koszalin “m-teatr” Youth Confrontations and the Lamentacje festival at the Polish Theater in Warsaw.

Costumes: Tomasz Armada
Direction and musical adaptation: Jan Marek Kamiński
Set design and multimedia: Ewelina Węgiel
Sound: Maciej Szymborski
Production: Aleksander Fredro Theater in Gniezno and Aleksander Zelwerowicz Theater Academy in Warsaw
Premiere: May 19, 2023, Aleksander Fredro Theater in Gniezno