Word: agnieszka
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Dates: during 1963-1963
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Anthony Graham-White adapted a Marek Hlasko story full of characters and atmosphere. Agnieszka, a young woman relatively untouched by the war, passes an existence surrounded by hulks who are psychologically still under the Nazi rule. Her parents are aging and broken; her lover lost all but his physical drives in the concentration camps. One of her brothers still tries to live by Darwinian prison morality, while the other drowns his self-pity in vodka. Throughout their actions parade chorus-like groups of foul-mouthed and drunken toughs, the spawn of occupation...
...Agnieszka's encouragement fails to help anyone. Her father is inconsolable, and her predictions of a better world to come infuriate the lover, who wants to be left to his memories of concentration camp life. Such an environment would tell on any optimist, and toward the close we find our heroine suggesting suicide to her alcoholic brother, a hint he does not take. With the end comes no resolution of problems, but only the prospect of a continued day-by-day existence in the future...
Anne Lilley Kerr, who played Agnieszka, deserves the most credit of all the cast and staff. Showing a good deal of poise throughout, she helped her fellow actors when they had difficulties, and at times brought out the best aspects of the script. If one player could save an entire production by skill and determination, Miss Kerr would have done it; her effort was a joy to behold...