Written and directed by Michał Walczak, Houdini. A Magical Odyssey combines elements of cabaret, psychological drama and illusion, encapsulating the evolving needs of modern audiences, according to the show's creator.
It touches on elements of technology, psychology and the esoteric, present in the director's other works.
Houdini's life, often seen through his daring escapes and stage magic, also intertwines with deeper themes, according to Walczak.
The show highlights how Houdini and his wife Bess navigated their emotional and professional lives against the backdrop of early 20th-century societal shifts.
The narrative delves into the impact of Houdini's sudden death in 1926 on Bess, who turned to spiritualism to connect with him posthumously, contrasting sharply with her husband's public skepticism of the practice.
'The demonic magic of the Nazis'
The director links the personal drama to broader historical currents, suggesting parallels between the "charming magic" of Houdini's era and the "demonic magic" of rising fascism in the 1930s.
Walczak noted that the 1930s were a period marked by the rise of fascism. He finds it an interesting coincidence that "the carnival magic of Houdini, which tamed fears and entertained the masses, was replaced by the demonic magic of the Nazis."
In a sense, Houdini's magic was "replaced by professional mass hypnotists, as there's been much written and said about the significant role of hypnosis and crowd manipulation in fascism," Walczak told the media.
Every year on Halloween, Bess conducts a séance, hoping for a sign from her late husband Harry Houdini, who famously escaped death multiple times.
As successive séances fail and the world edges closer to war, Bess begins to lose faith in Houdini's powers. It's at this moment of despair that Houdini appears, whisking her away on a magical odyssey.
"Of course, fictional events appear here, which I used in the script to offer viewers a journey through their biographies," Walczak said. "This magical odyssey serves as a kind of return to Houdini's family roots. He was born into a Jewish family in Budapest and emigrated with them to the United States."
'Miracle on the Vistula'
On their journey, Houdini and his wife visit London, Paris, Berlin and Warsaw.
"I created a story in which, after meeting [Polish statesman Józef] Piłsudski, Houdini helps the Poles win the 1920 Battle of Warsaw, later dubbed the Miracle on the Vistula," said Walczak, and added: "I've woven him into our history, which isn't far from historical truth, as he traveled through this part of Europe."
The actor and illusionist playing Houdini, Wojciech Rotowski, will perform authentic magic tricks from Houdini's repertoire.
'Secrets of mentalism, card magic and escapology'
"The rest of the actors have trained under him and will also perform certain magic acts," said Walczak. "Wojciech Rotowski, as an excellent illusionist with a wide range of magical tools, will introduce the audience to the secrets of mentalism, card magic and escapology."
Walczak continued: "We want to show the audience a few tricks to demonstrate the various ways of interacting with the audience. The levitation scene impresses me the most personally. It's something that in our show can explain how spiritualist séances were done and why it's possible to give the impression that objects move by themselves or that someone suddenly appears on stage.
"I was amazed at how quickly Wojtek could conjure certain things. That's why I often forgot during rehearsals that it was a precise trick. Apparently, there is something in us that needs to believe in miracles, in something supernatural."
(rt/gs)
Source: PAP