Rola teatru we współczesnym świecie - The Role of Theatre in the Contemporary World

William Shakespeare once said: "All the world is a stage and all the men are merely players". Does it mean that theatre is the best form of leisure for people? I would not agree with it.

The 20th century is the time of the development of cinematography. Nowadays a lot of young people would sooner go to the cinema or stay at home watching TV than go to the theatre. They think it is the best way of spending free time. However, in the past, the theatre played an important role in man's life. It was adored in ancient Rome and Greece. The first public theatre in Poland was founded by King Stanislaw August Poniatowsk in 1765. Great playwrights of those times, such as Bohomolec, Niemcewicz and Zablocki wrote for this theatre. The favourite literary genre was comedy which entertained and educated at the same time. People used to go to the theatre in order to see famous actors and the rich people. An average man would not go there, as it was the place for the upper classes. A visit to the theatre was something of a fashion show. Women and men bought new fashionable clothes and wore a lot of jewellery. However, it has changed a lot. Today comparatively few people go to the theatre. Some of them have never been there, others go there once in a few years. A lot of people have forgotten about this great entertainment which is theatre. It is just a spiritual feast for us, but not many people appreciate it. Why is that? The main reason why people do not go to the theatre is that they are only in big cities. Besides, the theatre does not play a big role anymore. We consider performances to be hard to understand, and it is obvious that it requires some knowledge to be able to understand a play. Actors are not keen on working for theatre on account of low salaries. They would rather act in a film or take part in a commercial. Moreover, we are not in the habit of wearing elegant clothes. We put on old jeans and T-shirts instead.

Today, we visit cinemas, pubs, cafes, but we forget about the theatre. We are busy preoccupied by television which requires less mental effort. It is widespread and far more accessible. However, theatre still remains a great source of entertainment for those who appreciate it. Thanks to theatre, masterpieces of the most distinguished writers still speak to us. Every moment spent in the theatre is like being in a surrealistic world where you are provided with a great deal of amusement and emotions.

[Arkadiusz Szymczak]