The Files (Teczki), directed by Ewa Wójciak, is a riveting docudrama created from actual surveillance records the Communist-era secret police kept on Theatre of the Eighth Day company members between 1975 and 1983. Through these files, a remarkable human drama unfolds—not just of life under a communist regime but of the courageous artistry that thrived in spite of that oppression.

Theatre of the Eighth Day (Teatr Ósmego Dnia) was founded in 1964 and soon became one of the most significant alternative student theatre troupes in Poland. Its name derives from the Polish poet K.I. Galczynski, who wrote that “On the seventh day, the Lord God rested, and on the eighth, He created theatre.” Influenced mostly by the work of Grotowski, the group developed their own acting method and approach to creating performances through group improvisation. For 25 years and despite constant surveillance by the secret police and government censorship, Theatre of the Eighth Day managed to create some of the most important works for the Polish stage. By 1985, most of the group had left the country and the Theatre remained in exile until 1989, returning to Poland at the invitation of the first non-communist Minister of Culture. Since the collapse of the Communist regime, the company, which is based in Poznan, continues to be recognized as a leader among Polish alternative theatres.

RELATED EVENT: On Monday, March 21 at 5:30 pm, Ewa Wójciak, Theatre of the Eighth Day director, will deliver the Annual Copernicus Lecture, “Breaking Boundaries before and after Censorship: A Personal Story of When and How You Should Say No.”

This residency is part of a semester-long series on Polish Theatre.

Sponsors: U-M’s Copernicus Program in Polish Studies, Department of Theatre & Drama, Third Century Initiative; Culture.pl.