Agon

Agon [Gr. agṓn ‘dispute’, ‘strife’] is a term used by the ancient Greeks to denote a situation in which parties argued, seeking to demonstrate their superiority over their opponent, or the superiority of their reasons over those of their interlocutor; the word derives from ágein, i.e., “to rush; lead; celebrate” (W. Kopaliński’s Dictionary of Words and Phrases of Foreign Origin).

An agon was also a type of festival in honor of a deity or hero, an integral part of which involved athletic competitions, horse races or poetry and music contests.

Dominika Knapik returns to the stage as a performer to address the notion of “lifelong” works, artistic and maternal. In doing so, she confronts her own biography: that of a workaholic choreographer and busy mother, troubled by the pervasive sense of guilt towards her child. Knapik’s companion in this duel is Pythia, a choreotherapist who does not miss a single detail. Deeply personal subject matter which is defused through the self-ironic form of a mockumentary. This results in a distanced, Chinese box narrative, reflecting the performative nature of representation and allowing viewers to rush into the future while stepping back in time.

The outcome is a critical, but also unabashedly humorous study of the meaning(s) behind practicing an (artistic) profession and combining it with motherhood.

Creators

  • Choreografia i reżyseria: Dominika Knapik
  • Reżyseria: Dominika Knapik
  • Dramaturgia: Patrycja Kowańska
  • Wykonanie: Dominika Knapik
  • Muzyka: Justyna Stasiowska
  • Kostiumy: Natalia Mleczak
  • Reżyseria świateł: Wolfgang Macher
  • Produkcja: Teatr Łaźnia Nowa
Premiere
07/12/2020
Time
60