What is perception?
I understand the whole, but I’d have a problem explaining it
Magda
To think about something
Rafal
To perceive the world
Natalia
The eye
Kuba
Everyone perceives differently
Patryk
About the performance
Perception is the fourth performance by Jest Jak Jest Theatre, continuing the ensemble’s ongoing artistic exploration of identity, perception, and collective experience.
The performance was inspired in part by the short stories of Etgar Keret, particularly one in which a protagonist learns during an assessment that he “suffers from a major perception disorder.” This idea becomes a starting point for a theatrical investigation: how do we perceive the world, and how differently can reality be experienced?
On stage, the actors reveal their personal perspectives and emotional landscapes. Through movement, voice, and imagery, they share the richness and complexity of their inner worlds. In this theatrical reality, non-normativity becomes the norm—the performers themselves shape the rules of perception, transforming their lived experiences into scenes.
Perception invites audiences to question what it means to see, hear, feel, and be seen. It explores how perception shapes identity and relationships, and how theatre can become a space where diverse ways of experiencing the world are not only visible but celebrated.
Artistic process
Perception is the natural continuation of the ensemble’s previous creations.
The group’s first performance, I Am (2019), began with a quiet but powerful gesture: the actors sang the words “I am” in barely audible voices. The second work, I’m Afraid of Your Ever Bigger Shoes, responded to messages the performers received from people close to them: “I am afraid of your ever bigger shoes, I am afraid of you growing up.”
During the following years, the group experienced significant changes. The death of a member of the ensemble and the arrival of a new actor reshaped the collective. These events brought existential questions to the forefront of the creative process.
The third performance, I’m Running, explored these questions and transformed the group’s working dynamics. The piece awakened the senses—what it means to see, hear, taste, touch, and feel, as well as to be seen, heard, and embraced.
Perception emerges from this journey. It reflects the evolving identity of the ensemble and their ongoing search for new ways of understanding themselves and the world around them.
Visual Concept
The visual elements of the performance were created by Joanna Pawlik, performer and visual artist.
Pawlik received her doctorate in Fine Arts in 2018 from the Faculty of Art at the Pedagogical University of Kraków. Her artistic practice often begins with her own intimate experience of disability and expands into broader reflections through collaboration with other artists, including amateurs.
For Perception, her visual work contributes to the poetic and sensory environment of the performance, amplifying the themes of perception, embodiment, and visibility.
Accessibility
- The performance presented in spoken Polish, translated into Polish Sign Language
- The performance is presented with audio description
- Suggested age: 14+
- Louder music appears in some scenes of the performance
- In some scenes of the performance, the hall is dimly lit
- Variable lighting appears in some scenes of the performance
The Company
Founded in 2019, Jest Jak Jest Theatre is one of the youngest theatre groups associated with CK Zamek.
The ensemble is composed of performers with disabilities coming from diverse personal and artistic backgrounds. Through collaborative creation, the group develops performances that combine personal storytelling, physical expression, and collective exploration.
Artistic Direction
The artistic supervisor and director of the ensemble is Grażyna Wydrowska—actress, director, theatre pedagogue, and co-founder of the legendary Wierzbak Theatre.
Wydrowska creates performances, workshops, and social-artistic projects that connect generations and communities. Throughout her career she has collaborated with both professional artists and amateurs, including children, adults, and seniors.
Her work has been recognized with numerous awards and distinctions. In Jest Jak Jest Theatre, she guides a creative process based on collaboration, personal expression, and the development of each performer’s unique voice.
Tournée
Première: April 16, 2025 h19
ZAMEK Culture Centre
Poznań, Poland
October 6, 2025 h18
Wałcz Cultural Centre
Wałcz, Poland
February 11, 2026 h19
ZAMEK Culture Centre
Poznań, Poland
Credits
Directed by: Grażyna Wydrowska
Music: Joanna Sykulska
Stage design: Jarosław Szelest
Costumes: Agnieszka Ostrowska
Visualizations: Joanna Pawlik, in collaboration with Janusz Piwowarski and Maciej Kaczyński
Performers: Piotr Bartoszewski, Alicja Bochniak, Magdalena Gombowska, Natalia Jaskowska, Patryk Krauze, Krystyna Morawska, Rafał Różański, Jakub Ruciński, Artur Warchoł, Alicja Zacharczuk
Interpretation into Polish Sign Language: Karina Akseńczuk
Audio description: Marcin Głowiński
Produced by: ZAMEK Culture Centre in Poznań
Duration: 60′
This performance has been prepared by ZAMEK Culture Centre in Poznań as part of the Europe Beyond Access project, thanks to a grant from the Creative Europe programme.