Review: QUO VADIS at Gdynia Musical Theater

When I first heard that there would be an adaptation of Quo Vadis, a historical novel written by Henryk Sienkiewicz 130 years ago about the first Christians in Rome, I thought it was a pretty crazy idea; when I learned that it would be a cabaret/circus-style adaptation, I raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

After the first song about Nero's daughter, I knew: I had too little faith in Polish creativity. The show is genius.

From the costumes, the set design, the music, and the actors to the staging and dancing, everything is like a layer of the biggest cake of perfection you've ever tasted. And the good news is that it's zero calories.

The costumes by Anna Adamek and Martyna Kander are so detailed that each character could be exhibited in a museum and be a work of art in its own right. The attention to detail and creativity is astonishing. On the other hand, there is the most impressive scenography (by Mariusz Napierala), huge and magnificent, which allows the touring stage to use its highest potential (including the Colosseum and giant animals). It rotates, moves, and is in motion at all times. To say that Mariusz Obijalski’s music is great is like saying nothing at all, the voices are incredible and it is a great feast for all the senses. The casting could not be better, the variety of characters, the multiplication of complications, and the interaction between them make the show fast and enjoyable to watch. The furious Marcus Vinicius (Jakub Brucheiser), the vindictive Poppaea Sabina (Karolina Trebacz), the fragile Lygia (Julia Duchniewicz), the manipulable Nero (Marcin Slabowski), and the faithful Eunice (Adrianna Koss); all the variety of human behavior in an impressive setting.

It is as clear as the sky on a sunny day that the director, Wojciech Koscielniak, has a precise vision of what he wants to show and he executes it with such precision that Swiss watches seem sloppy. There are so many details that I wish they would provide a GPS to find your way around. Everything looks so good! Prepare to be out of breath by this golden cabaret mixed with energetic and impressive voices. And there are dance pieces by Mateusz Pietrzak, the crown on the king, some of the best choreography I have ever seen on a big stage, with so many dancers that you can’t count them (I tried!), with originality and a huge dose of energy. It’s like a caffeine overdose in human form. I felt like I was seeing fireworks for the first time in my life. Each song could be a show in its own right, deserving a standing ovation.

As it is difficult to describe how impressive the show is, it is even harder to describe the actors and songs, so I will limit myself to sharing with you only my favorites.

The one and only Petronius (Marek Nedza): the fashionista of ancient Rome has such charisma that he could convince a statue to dance.

The Song of Acne (Karolina Merda): reverse dance sequences, so brilliant and so simple!

Dancers like animals, flowers, and human decorations.

Finally, the universalized message of this old text can be transformed into any time and circumstance, because greed, power, and passion are and have been the driving forces of history.

From the first to the very last minute, you will feel like you have hit the golden jackpot.

Photo: Rzemieslnik Swiatla