Luk Perceval and his adaptation of Les Rougon Macquart

Luk Perceval, the director of 3STRS and Once Upon a Long Day, returns to the Stary Theatre in Kraków with his adaptation of Les Rougon‑Macquart, a monumental cycle of novels by Émile Zola, one of the best-known French writers. Over the course of 20 novels, the author described the fates of the fictional Rougon‑Macquart family, whose members include businessmen, saleswomen, revolutionaries, sex workers, miners and doctors. Each member of the family faces the legacies passed down by previous generations: poverty, alcoholism, madness, ambition, artistic talent. Yet at the same time, they are also influenced by the reality in which they find themselves. Zola’s novels depict profound social and economic transformations of the 19th century, offering touching stories of greed, desire, the pursuit of happiness and a better life. 

The play "Sex, Money and Hunger" is an artistic adaptation of seven selected novels from the "Les Rougon-Macquart" series by Emile Zola. The creators decided to focus on the dramatic fates of the members of the title family, living in a period full of social changes and industrialization of the 19th century. Director Luk Perceval emphasized during the media rehearsal that "our problems are not new" and that history teaches us about the cyclicality of certain events and mistakes from which we have learned little. The title of the play refers to the three parts into which it was divided. In the act "Sex", based on the novels "Doctor Pascal" and "In the Clue", the audience observes the characters struggling with a sense of emptiness and addictions. "Money", inspired by "Nana", "Everything for Ladies" and "Money", shows the principles governing capitalism. In turn, "Hunger", based on "The Human Beast" and "Germinal", brings viewers closer to the brutality of the labor system.

The play features well-known actors, such as Anna Dymna, Roman Gancarczyk and Krzysztof Zawadzki, who take on a variety of roles. Roman Gancarczyk emphasizes that the characters are "permanent, living", and the stories of the Rougon-Macquart family are recalled in retrospect. Anna Dymna shares her reflections on her roles, which pose questions about the meaning of life and the human condition.

The actors emphasize the relevance of the topics raised by Zola. Krzysztof Zawadzki draws attention to the return to themes related to poverty and exploitation, which are reflected in today's times. The play aims not only to recall history, but also to make the audience reflect on the present and their own experiences.

The script for the play "Sex, money and hunger, family chronicle according to Emil Zola" was written by Luk Perceval, and the translation into Polish was prepared by Sława Lisiecka. The premiere will take place on January 18 on the Main Stage of the National Old Theatre Helena in Kraków. This is another production of the Belgian director in the Kraków theatre, after earlier successes such as "3 Sisters" and " Long Day's Journey into Night ".