White Marriage by Tadeusz Różewicz

Tadeusz Różewicz's play, Białe małżeństwo [White marriage, 1974], caused a moral scandal and faced a difficult reception. Condemned by the Catholic Church, rejected by some critics and reviewers, it was seen as proof of Różewicz's weakening creativity. Theatre performances were also uneven. This essay compares a number of the more prominent stagings, focusing on how the directors handled (or struggled with) the final, most challenging, and enigmatic scene which portrays the main protagonist's transgression. The essay poses a question as to how Różewicz's play has been historically updated and what meanings have been imposed on it since the 1970s. It also questions the relevance of the play's protagonist for the cultural revolution of the younger generation.