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Six Plays by Slawomir Mrozek
Six plays by Polish Playwright Slawomir Mrozek. The Martyrdom of Peter Ohey, Enchanted Night, The Police, Out at Sea, Charlie, The Party.
190 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 1967
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 1, 2014
Well...I haven't read this whole book, but I read POLICE, which was produced by the Liberty Free Theatre in Sullivan County, NY, this Fall. I acted as the production stage manager.
This is a great little play. It is a nice satire on a police state and definitely timely for our current issues with our own police (in the United States).
The summary from Wikipedia is decent, so...I'll copy it here: "The play takes place in a mythical country where all opposition to the state has disappeared and the last remaining political prisoner is to be released. Rather than face the prospect of retiring the police force, the chief of police decides to create an enemy of the state by ordering one of his officers to commit political crimes. The absurdity of the play culminates when the characters mutually arrest each other repeatedly, in an attempt to restore order and meaning to their world."
There's a really fun monologue at the beginning of the play, that exemplifies the plot, summarized above by Wikipedia:
"You know, Colonel, if it wasn't for your uniform and high rank I might begin to think that you were right. But if the Chief of Police himself says tha our Infant leader is a shortarse, then obviously such an opinion could never, never be the right one. If a shopkeeper had told me that, or a bricklayer out in the street, perhaps I'd have had my doubts. But the Chief of Police! No, this only confirms me in my great admiration and reverence for the person of our Infant King and -- as a natural consequence -- of his Uncle the Regent.
Please believe me. I've finished with my former mistaken anti-government point of view. The reasons for my change of heart fall into tow categories: there are the external ones and the internal ones, and it is the double conviction which is the guarantee of the depth and permanence of my evolution -- a thing which you, Colonel, for my own good are naturally concerned about. The external reasons are those we've already mentioned: the universal progress that our country has made. You only have to pick up a newspaper to be convinced of it. Look around you, Colonel. Don't hide your head in the sand in the face of these achievements. Is there anything wrong with the country? You've only got to look at your salary, Colonel, that in itself is enough to show how groundless are complaints of this sort. Anyway, I've become a keen government supporter, and I don't mind admitting it.
However, if you have any doubt that the emotions of nature are strong enough to make sure I won't go back on my conversion, I'll show you that there are other emotions, internal emotions, which I feel more personally. You see, when I was a child I had no idea about law and order, about discipline and having an aim in life. All the time it was freedom and freedom. This -- sort of -- monotony in my spiritual diet could only satisfy part of my personality. Feelings of revolt against the established order, a desire to oppose all restrictions and authority -- I had plenty of those. But in the course of time I began to feel a certain dissatisfaction. I came to the conclusion that I was in some way handicapped. I, a free rebel, a model revolutionary, began to feel a curious nostalgia. How is this? I asked myself. Why has Fate tormented me, deprived me of the joyful sensation of agreement, subservience and loyalty, the delightful feeling of unity with authority, the blissful capacity to carry out political inevitabilities, as well as the added delight of, without needing to be summoned and having at the same time a complete, self-elevating confidence in myself as a man of action? I was a man unfulfilled, Colonel, but at last I understood that it was not too late. And it was then that the time came when my first me, rebellious and always complaining, perished as a result of over-indulgence, and a second me awoke, with a loud voice demanding the nourishment that was its due -- a joyful and calm conformity, an eager hope in the future, and the peace which flows from full submission to authority. The joyful knowledge that the government of our Infant King and his Uncle the Regent is just as good, wise and virtuous as we ourselves, arouses within as feelings of sheer delight unknown to those poor individuals, so imprisoned in their own negative outlook and so unfulfilled in their relationship with mankind. Only now, Colonel, have I achieved real fullness. So here I am -- the last political prisoner in a country that is now flourishing and entirely loyal; the last dark cloud in the blue sky of the rule of our Infant King and his Uncle the Regent; one single crow, with the blackness of his wings marring the pure rainbow of our statedom. It is only on my account they still keep the police force going. If it wasn't for me they could send all the judges and guards off home. The prison would stand empty and could be turned into a preparatory school. Because of me, Colonel, you've got to hang around in this stuffy office. Otherwise you could get out far into the fields and meadows with a gun or fishing rod and throw off your suffocating uniform. I tell you Colonel, you've won at last. The police have brought their mission to a close. The last man to oppose the government lays down his arms and his only desire is to join the chorus of citizens singing hosanna to our Infant King and his Uncle the Regent. For the first time in the world's history the ideal of law and order in a state has been achieved. When I leave here the last obstacle will be gone. Today should be a great occasion in your life, Colonel. It is the day of final victory. The task at which you have laboured your whole life and for which you were ordained has been crowned by success. Today I sign the paper that you have been trying to persuade me to sign for ten years. I will then go out into the free world and support the government. What is more, I will send an open letter to our Infant King and his Uncle the Regent - the most humble letter that has ever been written, filled wit the deepest devotion and love."
This is a great little play. It is a nice satire on a police state and definitely timely for our current issues with our own police (in the United States).
The summary from Wikipedia is decent, so...I'll copy it here: "The play takes place in a mythical country where all opposition to the state has disappeared and the last remaining political prisoner is to be released. Rather than face the prospect of retiring the police force, the chief of police decides to create an enemy of the state by ordering one of his officers to commit political crimes. The absurdity of the play culminates when the characters mutually arrest each other repeatedly, in an attempt to restore order and meaning to their world."
There's a really fun monologue at the beginning of the play, that exemplifies the plot, summarized above by Wikipedia:
"You know, Colonel, if it wasn't for your uniform and high rank I might begin to think that you were right. But if the Chief of Police himself says tha our Infant leader is a shortarse, then obviously such an opinion could never, never be the right one. If a shopkeeper had told me that, or a bricklayer out in the street, perhaps I'd have had my doubts. But the Chief of Police! No, this only confirms me in my great admiration and reverence for the person of our Infant King and -- as a natural consequence -- of his Uncle the Regent.
Please believe me. I've finished with my former mistaken anti-government point of view. The reasons for my change of heart fall into tow categories: there are the external ones and the internal ones, and it is the double conviction which is the guarantee of the depth and permanence of my evolution -- a thing which you, Colonel, for my own good are naturally concerned about. The external reasons are those we've already mentioned: the universal progress that our country has made. You only have to pick up a newspaper to be convinced of it. Look around you, Colonel. Don't hide your head in the sand in the face of these achievements. Is there anything wrong with the country? You've only got to look at your salary, Colonel, that in itself is enough to show how groundless are complaints of this sort. Anyway, I've become a keen government supporter, and I don't mind admitting it.
However, if you have any doubt that the emotions of nature are strong enough to make sure I won't go back on my conversion, I'll show you that there are other emotions, internal emotions, which I feel more personally. You see, when I was a child I had no idea about law and order, about discipline and having an aim in life. All the time it was freedom and freedom. This -- sort of -- monotony in my spiritual diet could only satisfy part of my personality. Feelings of revolt against the established order, a desire to oppose all restrictions and authority -- I had plenty of those. But in the course of time I began to feel a certain dissatisfaction. I came to the conclusion that I was in some way handicapped. I, a free rebel, a model revolutionary, began to feel a curious nostalgia. How is this? I asked myself. Why has Fate tormented me, deprived me of the joyful sensation of agreement, subservience and loyalty, the delightful feeling of unity with authority, the blissful capacity to carry out political inevitabilities, as well as the added delight of, without needing to be summoned and having at the same time a complete, self-elevating confidence in myself as a man of action? I was a man unfulfilled, Colonel, but at last I understood that it was not too late. And it was then that the time came when my first me, rebellious and always complaining, perished as a result of over-indulgence, and a second me awoke, with a loud voice demanding the nourishment that was its due -- a joyful and calm conformity, an eager hope in the future, and the peace which flows from full submission to authority. The joyful knowledge that the government of our Infant King and his Uncle the Regent is just as good, wise and virtuous as we ourselves, arouses within as feelings of sheer delight unknown to those poor individuals, so imprisoned in their own negative outlook and so unfulfilled in their relationship with mankind. Only now, Colonel, have I achieved real fullness. So here I am -- the last political prisoner in a country that is now flourishing and entirely loyal; the last dark cloud in the blue sky of the rule of our Infant King and his Uncle the Regent; one single crow, with the blackness of his wings marring the pure rainbow of our statedom. It is only on my account they still keep the police force going. If it wasn't for me they could send all the judges and guards off home. The prison would stand empty and could be turned into a preparatory school. Because of me, Colonel, you've got to hang around in this stuffy office. Otherwise you could get out far into the fields and meadows with a gun or fishing rod and throw off your suffocating uniform. I tell you Colonel, you've won at last. The police have brought their mission to a close. The last man to oppose the government lays down his arms and his only desire is to join the chorus of citizens singing hosanna to our Infant King and his Uncle the Regent. For the first time in the world's history the ideal of law and order in a state has been achieved. When I leave here the last obstacle will be gone. Today should be a great occasion in your life, Colonel. It is the day of final victory. The task at which you have laboured your whole life and for which you were ordained has been crowned by success. Today I sign the paper that you have been trying to persuade me to sign for ten years. I will then go out into the free world and support the government. What is more, I will send an open letter to our Infant King and his Uncle the Regent - the most humble letter that has ever been written, filled wit the deepest devotion and love."
February 3, 2023
Mrozek was a genius satirist, and these six plays true testimony to his creative talents.
Want to read
June 7, 2025Out at Sea by Mzorek, Slawomir
April 4, 2013
اسلاومیر مروژک، متولد 1930 در لهستان، در 1963 به ایتالیا و سپس به فرانسه مهاجرت کرد و بعدها به مکزیک. در 1996 به لهستان بازگشت و در کراکو اقامت گزید اما در 2008 به فرانسه برگشت. مروژک از 1958 نمایش نامه می نوشت و کارهایش در نوع "تیاتر بیهودگی"، با موضوعات غیر واقعی تماشاچیان را شوکه می کرد. او اگرچه روزنامه نگاری مشهور بود اما شهرتش خارج از لهستان، مدیون داستان های کوتاه، و بیش از همه، نمایش نامه های اوست. اولین نمایش نامه اش "پلیس" در 1958 منتشر شد، واقعه ای که نه زمان معینی دارد، و نه مکان مشخصی. مروژک اما با "تانگو" (1964) به شهرت جهانی رسید.
The Police, is about power, the degeneration of police, and demonstrate the inconstancy of people’s ideological stances, contains a diagnosis of totalitarianism.
در مورد "تیاتر ابزورد" اینجا را بخوانید
http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...
The Police, is about power, the degeneration of police, and demonstrate the inconstancy of people’s ideological stances, contains a diagnosis of totalitarianism.
در مورد "تیاتر ابزورد" اینجا را بخوانید
http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...
May 26, 2011
"The Police" S.Mrożek
Read
January 5, 2011"Police"
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews