Wojtek Ziemilski presents a part-lecture, part-film during which he tries to express his take on life, but doesn’t get very far.
As the audience enters the theatre, Ziemilski is seated at a desk in one corner and, almost immediately, a quotation about ‘beginning’ flashes up on the screen. The first segment of the show is dedicated to Ziemilski explaining how difficult it is to choose where to begin, so he chooses to start by explaining his name. He speaks in a monotone voice, hardly pausing to draw a breath except for when he stops to play a short film. Continuing with the performance, he mentions a few performance artists and explains what they mean to him, showing videos to illustrate the points he makes. These videos include some disturbing images of a woman standing on stage pulling at her own skin. The performance moves on to Ziemilski talking about his grandfather who was accused of being a communist agent in Poland.
The performance is powerful; Ziemilski makes some interesting observations about knowledge, doubts and dreams. The main issue is that he is trying to make a point that he never actually makes. He discusses some important topics and some very personal issues, but there is no sudden revelation that shows what Ziemilski is trying to prove with his performance. At the end, he simply stands up, says ‘Thank you’ and walks out, leaving the audience to decide whether it really is time to leave.
