Battersea Arts Centre and The Adam Mickiewicz Institute To Present PIECES OF A WOMAN

From the writer and director behind the award-winning hit Netflix film adaptation: Kata Wéber and Kornél Mundruczó, Battersea Arts Centre and The Adam Mickiewicz Institute present the UK stage premiere of TR Warszawa's Pieces of a Woman.

Set in present-day Warsaw, Pieces of a Woman is a feminist family drama following the experiences and journey of 30-year-old Maja as she comes to terms with a personal tragedy. Six months on, a family gathering paints an intimate portrait of the rippling impact this has across several generations. Maja is forced to navigate familial and societal expectations, alongside her own reality, as she questions her old life and rebuilds from scratch the relationships with those closest to her.

With each interaction, underlying tensions are brought to surface and revelations are made as external conflicts represent the internal human struggle of a family and society unwilling to acknowledge what can no longer be ignored. The original theatre production of Pieces of a Woman first premiered at TR Warszawa Poland in 2018 and toured at festivals across Poland and throughout Europe sharing at Festival d'Avignon and Athens and Epidaurus Festival in 2021 and most recently at Wiener Festwochen in Vienna. The production was commissioned by Bron Studios for a Netflix feature film adaptation premiering at Venice International Film Festival in 2020, led by the theatre production's original creatives: director Kornél Mundruczó with screenplay by playwright Kata Wéber, with performances from Vanessa Kirby (winner of Best Actress at Venice), Shia LaBeouf and Ellen Burstyn. The film received widespread acclaim with both an Oscar and Golden Globe nomination for Vanessa Kirby as Best Leading Actress.

“We are proud to be premiering TR Warszawa's ‘Pieces of a Woman' to UK audiences this May. Kata Weber's masterfully crafted script unfolds crucial themes about Poland but also wider society. Sitting within our Spring season of work from predominantly female and non-binary artists, the experience of the play's central character transcends the setting to make for an evocative and visceral experience for all audiences, ” said Pelin Başaran, Head of Programming, Battersea Arts Centre

“I'm delighted that, after several major cities in Europe, TR Warszawa's production is coming to London. While the theatrical version is more responsive to the plight of women in Eastern Europe, where old attitudes still strongly define norms within the family and society, Maya's story carries a universal message,  about women's liberties and  characterises a society beset by political divisions. For me, it is a story as much about loss as it is about new beginnings, about the times when overcoming adversity allows us to redefine our identities," said Kata Wéber, Playwright and Dramaturg, Pieces of a Woman

“After touring across Europe for several years, we are thrilled to finally premiere ‘Pieces of a Woman' to audiences in London this Spring. The path of the leading character Maja, is everywoman's path, she experiences what all women experience when their longings are squashed. We believe this universal perspective will resonate with audiences in London and the UK more widely, ” said director Kornél Mundruczó, 

ABOUT THE ADAM MICKIEWICZ INSTITUTE

The Adam Mickiewicz Institute, www.iam.pl, is a national cultural institution, whose goal is to build a lasting interest in Polish culture around the world. The institute works with foreign partners and initiates international cultural dialogue in line with the goals and aims of Polish foreign policy. The institute has put on cultural projects in 70 countries on 6 continents, including Great Britain, France, Israel, Germany, Turkey, USA, Canada, Australia, Morocco, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, as well as in China, Japan and Korea. The Institute's flagship brand CULTURE.PL – an up-to-date cultural news service, discussing the most interesting events and phenomena related to Polish culture – offers articles and news in three languages: Polish, English, and Ukrainian.

ABOUT Battersea Arts Centre

Battersea Arts Centre is a Home for the Extraordinary. We harness the incredible power of art, creativity and collective imagination to create a better future for everyone. A future that is more inclusive, more equitable and more sustainable. In 2024 we celebrate our 50th anniversary along with the many extraordinary people who help us to inspire positive change for both individuals and their communities.

Our commitment to being A Home for Extraordinary Artists, Young People and Communities is stronger than ever. As part of our 50th year, we are working with ground-breaking artists across the globe to present innovative, exciting and socially engaged work.

Behind the scenes, we continue to deliver our trailblazing programmes for 11–29-year-olds, including our Beatbox and Dance Academies, Young Producers programme and The Agency, alongside community projects including our Community Hub and Community Garden.  Most shows at BAC are available on a Pay What You Can basis, as part of our ongoing commitment to removing barriers to engagement.

Through all this work, BAC continuously strives to be an inclusive home where we unlock creativity, drive social benefit, build communities, and support resilience and wellbeing.

As a registered charity (282857), BAC needs to raise funds from individuals, corporates and trusts & foundations who help make this work happen. Join us in supporting BAC in 2024 so that together, we can thrive for the next 50 years. To find out more, visit  https://bac.org.uk/support-us/.

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