“A Myth of Middle Europa: The Stories of Beginning” involves the cooperation of Stowarzyszenie Teatr Mumerus (Kraków, PL), Vyšší odborná škola herecká - PiDivadlo (Praha, CZ) and Divadlo Kontra (Spišská Nová Ves, SK); as well as individuals like the actress, Esztella Levko (HU). These groups created an artistic/educational work inspired by the common cultural heritage of the myths and legends of Middle-Europe. There were shared workshops with each participating organization, culminating in an outdoor performance (2nd September 2012, Krakow).
“A Myth of Middle Europa: The Stories of Beginning” is a response to the low level of knowledge of our central European foundations, ie: folklore, fairy tales, myths and legends. Sadly, our weak and superficial knowledge of the base culture from which we have grown prevents a full understanding of our present reality. This project is therefore conceived so as to, as in the rich tradition of these tales, look in the mirror of the past to view the truths of our present.
Once, myths (told orally) held together early communities. Thus, a function of this project is to foster bonding and cohesion among the cultures of modern central Europe.
The primary element of this project was a cycle of workshops and presentations devoted to the myths and legends common to the peoples of central Europe; Polish, Czech, Slovakian, and Hungarian. In fact, in these stories, we find many shared archetypes. The inspiration for exploration of these archetypes will be texts collected through queries in villages and cities of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary (to see whether these stories have survived orally, passed down from generation to generation), as well as texts of Karel Jan Erben, Bożena Nemcova, Kazimierz Wójcicki and Bolesław Leśmian. We used these texts in their original languages, to highlight the linguistic community of central Europe. Activities was begin individually at the site of each participant as etudes are prepared in advance of the first group meeting of all participants in late August/early September 2012 in Krakow. This was take the form of a week-long series of workshops at Villa Decius, concluding with a consequent open air performance.

Director of project: Wiesław Hołdys (Teatr Mumerus - Kraków)
Cooperation: Glenn Cullen (Mumerus),Marta Hrachovinová i Karel Vostárek (Prague College of Acting, Czech Republic), Peter Cibula (Theatre Kontra - Spišská Nová Ves, Słowacja)
Wystąpili: Anna Lenczewska, Jan Mancewicz, Karol Zapała, Robert Żurek (Teatr Mumerus), Peter Čižmár, Tomáš Diro, Peter Cibula (Teatr Kontra - Spišská Nová Ves, Slovakia), Esztella Levko (Eger,Hungary), students from Prague College of Acting and Theatre Mumerus

Set and costumes by Katarzyna Fijał and Tadeusz Przybylski
Project of poster: Jan Polewka
Music: Gertruda Szymańska, Michał Braszak i Paweł Solecki
Project coordinator: Agnieszka Dziedzic
Organisation of production: Maria Śmiłek


Partners: Stowarzyszenie Willa Decjusza oraz Stowarzyszenie Teatrów Nieinstytucjonalnych STeN



The project is financial supported by International Visegrad Fund. and Program "Youth in Action"

Pictures from first presentaion of polish part of "Stories of begining" which took place in Villa Decius, Krakow,24.06.2012

The puppets for "The Stories of Begining" projected and made by Glen Cullen

“A Myth of Middle Europa: The Stories of Beginning” involves the cooperation of Stowarzyszenie Teatr Mumerus (Kraków, PL), Vyšší odborná škola herecká - PiDivadlo (Praha, CZ) and Divadlo Kontra (Spišská Nová Ves, SK); as well as individuals like the actress, Esztella Levko (HU). These groups created an artistic/educational work inspired by the common cultural heritage of the myths and legends of Middle-Europe. There were shared workshops with each participating organization, culminating in an outdoor performance (2nd September 2012, Krakow).
“A Myth of Middle Europa: The Stories of Beginning” is a response to the low level of knowledge of our central European foundations, ie: folklore, fairy tales, myths and legends. Sadly, our weak and superficial knowledge of the base culture from which we have grown prevents a full understanding of our present reality. This project is therefore conceived so as to, as in the rich tradition of these tales, look in the mirror of the past to view the truths of our present.
Once, myths (told orally) held together early communities. Thus, a function of this project is to foster bonding and cohesion among the cultures of modern central Europe.
The primary element of this project was a cycle of workshops and presentations devoted to the myths and legends common to the peoples of central Europe; Polish, Czech, Slovakian, and Hungarian. In fact, in these stories, we find many shared archetypes. The inspiration for exploration of these archetypes will be texts collected through queries in villages and cities of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary (to see whether these stories have survived orally, passed down from generation to generation), as well as texts of Karel Jan Erben, Bożena Nemcova, Kazimierz Wójcicki and Bolesław Leśmian. We used these texts in their original languages, to highlight the linguistic community of central Europe. Activities was begin individually at the site of each participant as etudes are prepared in advance of the first group meeting of all participants in late August/early September 2012 in Krakow. This was take the form of a week-long series of workshops at Villa Decius, concluding with a consequent open air performance.


The project is financial supported by International Visegrad Fund.