Israeli troupe brings 'Hamlet' to Gdansk
Cameri Theater brings play to Polish Shakespeare Festival; Lech Walesa, Andrzej Wajda among luminaries who attend opening performance
Israel's Cameri theater troupe performed "Hamlet" at the opening night of the international Polish Shakespeare festival in Gdansk before with VIP’s including former Polish President Lech Walesa, deputy Prime Minister Izabeli Jarugi-Nowacka and renowned Polish director Andrzej Wajda.
Israeli ambassador to Poland David Peleg said the play was wonderful and he was excited the Cameri troupe had opened the festival.
“The theater group’s visit is a thrill for us. It proves just how important it is to develop cultural ties between our countries," he said.
Peleg also said it was a great honor that the former Polish president and Solidarity Movement founder Walesa was in attendance.
Wild applause
“Poland is currently marking the 25th anniversary of the foundation of the Solidarity movement. We and the rest of the free world greatly admire Walesa.”
Cameri General Manager Noam Semel said the play, directed by Omri Nitzan, was well received and appreciated, and the Polish audience honored the actors and the producers with wild applause.
“Andrzej Wajda, who has directed Hamlet four times in the theater, as well as on film, said that it was only tonight that he really understood the play and that he salutes the actors and the director," Semel said. “It was all very exciting. The rehearsals in preparation for the trip were exhausting, but it was worth every moment.”
The play was performed twice more at the festival, and according to Semel all of the tickets were sold out. Tickets to Israeli performances of Hamlet are also sold out all the way to December.
