Kristof Kaczmarek will revisit Goodbye Judas with Exit Theatre.By Kath Gannaway
KRISTOF Kaczmarek was in his 30s when he first played the lead role in Goodbye Judas in Perth in 1987.
As he prepares to stage Polish playwright Ireneusz Iredynski’s powerful play with Exit Theatre in Healesville later this week, Kaczmarek is looking forward to playing the role as a more mature actor.
“This time I am much older,” he says. “It fits in better with the story line and the Judas character who is in his 40s.
“I can see now, even though I was in my early 30s, I was too young.”
Kaczmarek says this particularly brings credibility to one of the controversial issues in the play, the relationship between Judas and a young girl (played by Theresa Moolenschot).
“It’s not a play for kids,” says Kaczmarek, who is also director.
Kaczmarek and Dickon Oxenbourgh translated the play was from Polish in the late 80s, a translation which has been reworked for this performance.
Iredynski’s main inspiration for Goodbye Judas lies in turmoil of post WWII Poland, but Kaczmarek says the plot of the play could have happened anywhere in the world, and not so long ago.
“It has very current relevance,” he says.
“Life post war was a sequence of extremes – political, philosophical and passionate – yet the thesis of this play, that the struggle for dominance between rival power blocks leaves the individuals powerless, is just as prominent to modern Australia.”
Issues of betrayal, humanity and decency share the stage with another important plot, Judas’ relationship with the half-starved, fragile girl.
And there is an unexpected twist at the end, typical of Exit Theatre productions, which Kaczmarek quite rightly is keeping under wraps.
St Kilda actor Adrian Mulraney and local actors Moolenschot, Travis Jeffery and Paul Stephens join Kaczmarek in Goodbye Judas at Healesville Memorial Hall over six performances from Thurday, 30 October to Sunday, 2 November, including two matinees.
To book phone 5962 1717. Tickets will also be available at the door.
