The Plague

There are few who are not familiar with the 13th-century legend of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, made famous by the Brothers Grimm. Filip Rudnicki, the director and screenwriter of the dance production The Plague, together with choreographer Karol Miękinia, drew on this story to explore the mechanisms of power. In creating this allegorical spectacle, they abandoned literalism, but retained the figure of the flute player. His music is a deceptive remedy for all ills, most of which are imaginary. This magical instrument becomes a tool of political manipulation and propaganda, which at first seeps innocently into the ears of the public, eventually robbing them of their ability to form their own opinions and make informed moral choices. The premiere show is therefore intended as a warning against demagogues of all kinds and an encouragement to defend one’s own autonomy.