MOTHERS A SONG FOR WARTIME

In MOTHERS A SONG FOR WARTIME, 21 Ukrainian, Belarusian and Polish women vehemently confront the forces of destruction. They are survivors and helpers at the same time. Refugees and witnesses of violence and bombings. All of them now live in Poland and have come together to form a choir. They use the power of their voices to name what there are no words for. They do not want to be heard as victims, but as the protagonists of their stories.

Polish director Marta Górnicka, whose choral theater is an exceptional phenomenon on European stages, juxtaposes the noise of war with the powerful chanting of women. This song becomes an accusation, a plea and a warning to us and all people in Europe.

The concentrated power of their voices is not only reminiscent of an ancient choir, but also of the Ukrainian folk song tradition of the "Shchedryvkas". The combination of the women's experiences of war and exile with tender children's and folk songs and precise choreography opens up a wide space for reflection. Marta Górnicka and her choir bring ritual choral traditions dating back to the 7th century BC and political demands to life in such a way that the theater gives space to a community based on attentive listening to others.