The play ‘Drogi’ (Roads/Dear) is a journey
– both metaphorically and literally.
It is a socially engaged play directed by Paweł Paszta, which combines elements of narrative and interactive theatre, engaging the audience in a bus journey around Toruń. The story tells of the relationship between a father and son, confronting the past and attempting to break social taboos related to masculinity, emotionality and interpersonal relationships.
This journey has one destination – a meeting with the main character's father. A meeting of reckoning, reconciliation, or perhaps confrontation...
Along the way, in search of his identity, the man tries to define himself based on his relationship with his father. The bus-vehicle transports us through time, moments, memories. What is his masculinity? Is it fulfilling his father's expectations or finding the source of his own strength? Or perhaps masculinity is aggression? How to start the conversation? Dear Dad? My dear, dear father? It's strange... Where will these roads lead us...
The script was developed with the support of participants in workshops conducted with residents of Toruń. Thanks to cooperation with the Toruń Social Services Centre, children, schoolchildren, senior citizens and Toruń families were involved in the creative process, and their experiences and reflections became an integral part of the performance.
The performance takes place on a moving bus, and the route is adapted to the specific characteristics and traffic conditions of Toruń. The audience participates in the events not only as observers, but also through interaction with elements of the performance, such as ambient sounds, voice recordings and scenographic traces of the past. The final scene takes place in a space symbolising the father's home, where an interactive installation allows the audience to experience his perspective. Music is an integral part of the performance, acting as an independent narrator and commentator on events.
- Screenplay and direction: Paweł Paszta
- Organisers: City of Toruń, Art Connections Foundation
- Co-organiser: Kujawsko-Pomorskie Province
- Production: Art Connections Foundation
- Premiere: 30 April 2025, as part of the Street Theatre Festival
