Out of this world
Cults. They are groups made up of tightly knit people who share common interests, opinions, and a belief in SOMETHING that gives them a sense of stability and security in life. Their members are easily influenced, and have usually had difficult and traumatic experiences. Individual stories may vary dramatically, but the desire of all who have lived in cults remains the same - to find life's truth and anchor their place in society.
In Next Level, a production by the students of the Ludwik Solski State Drama School in Krakow, the audience is presented with a nearly three-hour collage depicting various cults and the situations their members "normally" face. The individual scenes are portrayed expressively but with a certain detachment. The monologues of each character are enhanced by projections (for example the demon hunters document their quest, which is simultaneously projected onto the back of the stage), vocal performances, and live music. The genre and melody of the music illustrate the atmosphere of the sect. There are vocal chants glorifying the Lord God or stereotyping presentation of Satanists supported by metallic death of guitars, drums, and growling.
The level of urgency of the acting varies in the depiction of each cult, depending on how serious the consequences of a member's blind and desperate devotion can be. The Pastafarian sect and their central character, the Flying Spaghetti Monster, is widely perceived as something that inspires laughter rather than fear and distrust in society. For Satanists, on the other hand, the central theme is the murder of living beings in order to offer sacrifice to whomever they see as their saviour. For religious fanatics who eat together in brightly coloured sweaters at a white table, conspicuously stylising themselves in the image of the Last Supper, the idea that God is supreme (then Christ, then finally the man whom a woman will have to obey all her life) still holds its power even today. One of the most powerful images is the confession of a trans man trying to find a circle where neither men nor God will judge and punish him.
Apart from the embellishment in the form of music, another striking element of the production is its set design, which is dominated by the colour white. The white curtains, costumes, table, and chairs give the impression of a certain sterility and austerity. A place where every smudge, stain, or speck of dirt is visible. A metaspace where everyone is waiting for what is to come. For their next level.
