Jerzy Grotowski
1933 - 1999 | Poor Theatre & The Holy Actor
Stripping It Back
Jerzy Grotowski was a Polish director who stripped theatre down to its absolute essentials. He believed that modern theatre was too "Rich"—cluttered with technology, makeup, and expensive sets. He wanted to remove everything until only the most important element remained: the relationship between the actor and the spectator.
Interactive: Object Transformation
In Poor Theatre, the actor transforms a single, simple object into many different things through the sheer physical belief and handling of the item. Try transforming the basic wooden block below.
Essential Terminology
Theatre that rejects technical "clutter" (lights, sound, costumes) to focus entirely on the actor.
Acting training is about unlearning the physical blocks that stop you from being truthful.
Intense physical exercises designed to isolate every joint in the body, making the actor highly flexible.
An actor who sacrifices their ego and offers their body to the audience like a spiritual ritual.
Strip the scene back
Describe the scene. Get a Poor Theatre rehearsal prompt that removes unnecessary set and props and puts the actor–audience relationship first.