'Ferdydurke' shocks and delights

There's nothing funnier than the crude humor of four grown men engaged in a boisterous battle of bodily functions. There's also nothing more amazing than seeing four incredibly talented actors portray a message of the ridiculousness of class distinction and authority figures. \nWith shocking physical humor and controversial themes, the collaboration of Poland's Kompania Teatr and Teatr Provisorium to adapt Witold Gombrowicz's play "Ferdydurke" was definitely unlike the usual conservative, discreet productions I have become so accustomed to in the United States.\nJoining efforts since 1996, these Polish theater companies visited Indiana University last weekend with their touring production of Gombrowicz's controversial "Ferdydurke," which has received outstanding reviews from their productions all over the world.\nTo explain all the action of this play would be far too difficult, because the complexity of each scene can only be understood through viewing. I simply would not be able to aptly describe the witty combination of racy, below-the-belt humor and the satirical interpretation of seemingly ludicrous societal views. \nGombrowicz's portrayal of adolescent boys tormenting their teacher, a heart-broken man whose love interest is unattainable because of her high position in society, and a young upper-class man who falls in love with a lowly stable boy was banned in Poland until the 1970s because of the controversial material. \nThe story begins with one man, Joey, sitting alone on a bench, acting out those guilty pleasures the average person would only act out in private. As he picks his nose, scratches himself, and dusts the dandruff from his hair, an expression of shock and disgust mixed with a gleeful grin never left my face for the remainder of the play. "Ferdydurke" never ceased to entertain, and it never thoroughly disgusted either. \nDirectors Janusz Oprynski and Witold Mazurkiewicz obviously took great care in choreographing each actor's movements on stage. In one particularly memorable scene, three of the actors barely fit themselves onto a bench and began to simultaneously follow a fluttering bird in the sky. As each man moved his head perfectly in unison with the others, they looked as though they really saw a tiny bird flying through the air. \nJoey eventually finds that he has reached a milestone in his life but feels he has not changed since he was a rowdy schoolboy many years ago. We are immediately thrown into a raucous scene of three mischievous boys torturing their teacher, who responds with tears, jeers and impending punishments if the boys do not shape up.\nAs I watched the adventure back to childhood, I began to remember those days when my classmates and I pulled pranks on each other and our teachers. I was completely shocked when two of the boys in the play began something of a "gross-out war." This battle involved certain bodily fluids and functions we crudely refer to as belches, farts, loogies and boogers, a hilarious combination perfectly executed by these four actors. \nWhile "Ferdydurke" obviously revolves around the shock value of each scene, even more intriguing was the excellent acting. Since the play was performed in English, some of the cast members learned the lines phonetically because they do not speak English fluently. Never before have I seen such a display of incredible talent. The actors, Jacek Brzezinski, Witold Mazurkiewicz, Jaroslaw Tomica, and Michal Zgiet, produced amazing camaraderie on stage, unlike most modern American actors.\n"Ferdydurke" was such a unique performance that I felt truly privileged to view it. The minimal yet versatile set pieces combined with dramatic lighting and incomparable acting produced one of the most memorable plays I have seen in quite some time.