„Pasta with strawberries, or what is obvious is not obvious everywhere”

We discuss cultural differences in the classroom and at the university, our own “obviousnesses,” and how not to confuse a different cultural code with a lack of motivation, culture, or competence.

And the pasta with strawberries? It’s there. And it makes a surprising amount of sense in all of this. 🍓

We invite you to listen, comment, and share.

Sobotni wieczór 16 maja 2026 w Pałacyku Konopackiego był naprawdę wyjątkowy. Już po raz drugi inscenizacje 10-minute plays przygotowane przez studentów UW bawiły i zachęcały do refleksji. Dziękujemy Państwu za Waszą obecność – frekwencja przebiła nasze najśmielsze oczekiwania! Ogromnie cieszymy się, że mogliśmy się podzielić z Państwem naszą pasją i miłością do teatru!

Naszą szczególną wdzięczność i podziękowania kierujemy też do:

Naszego sponsora CANAL+ POLSKA, który już po raz drugi nam zaufał i wspierał nas zarówno finansowo, jak i poprzez obecność pani Prezes Edyty Sadowskiej,

Władz Centrum Nauczania Języków Obcych, pana dyrektora Andrzeja Dąbrowskiego i pani dyrektor Anny Cegiełki,

Pracowników Pałacyku Konopackiego, którzy przyjęli nas z wielką gościnnością,

Naszych gości i współpracowników z zagranicy: Gertrude Gibbons z York University i prof.

Marka Rudnickiego z George Mason University,

Aktorów Teatru Witkacego: Joanny Banasik i Krzysztofa Wnuka, którzy przygotowali uczestników projektu do wyjścia na scenę,

Wykładowców i pracowników administracji UW, którzy serdecznie wspierali uczestników realizowanego przez CNJO projektu,

Autorów nagrodzonych i nadesłanych na konkurs sztuk,

Wszystkich osób, które wspierały nasze działanie w tym roku akademickim

Dziękujemy!

Dr Elżbieta Grzyb i uczestnicy projektu

Dear Sir or Madam,

We are delighted to invite you to the 2^nd 10-Minute Plays Festival. This event marks the culmination of an international project carried out by the University of Warsaw Foreign Language Teaching Centre. During the festival gala, we will invite you to watch six original plays that won the “Fail Better” literary competition. Although each play lasts only 10 minutes, we can assure you that all of them will stay with you much longer. Performances will be presented in both Polish and English. In the second part of the event, we will invite you to participate in “meaningful conversations” devoted to contemporary issues. This year, we provocatively ask about the (non)presence of failure in culture, language, and the individual experience of each of us. We would be honoured by your presence.

On behalf of the organisers,
Dr. Elżbieta Grzyb

16 May 2026
Konopacki Palace, 11/13 Strzelecka Street

Programme

1. 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Part One: 10-Minute Plays on Stage
2. Announcement of the results of the 10-Minute Play literary competition and award ceremony. Presentations of the winning short plays.
3. 7:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Intermission
   Audience vote for the best staging among the presented plays.
4. 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Part Two: “Meaningful Conversations”
5. Discussion on failure with invited guests and audience members.
6. Conversation with the authors of the presented plays.

We also invite you to visit our social media channels.

https://www.facebook.com/p/Festiwal-10-minute-plays-61567310784516/

10mpfestival

tu trochę bardziej zmieniłam, bo “plays awarded in the competition” to chyba za bliska kalka

🎭 Theatre Workshops at the University of Warsaw Foreign Language Teaching Centre
📅 April 17 – 19, 2026

From April 17 to 19, 2026, the Foreign Language Teaching Centre at the University of Warsaw hosted theatre workshops led by actors from the Witkacy Theatre in Zakopane.

The sessions were based on dramatic miniatures—winning texts from the “Fail Better” literary competition. It was a rare opportunity to see how these texts come to life on stage—developed, interpreted, and transformed into theatrical performances under the guidance of professional actors.

The workshops were attended by competition laureates, students participating in general university courses taught by dr. Elżbieta Grzyb, as well as graduates of our university who have become enthusiasts of this dramatic form.

We would like to thank all participants for their engagement, creativity, and the inspiring atmosphere!

The event was made possible thanks to the financial support of Canal+ Poland, for which we are sincerely grateful.

Sorry, this entry is only available in Polski.

Dear All,
Following intensive deliberations of the Jury, the Organizing Committee of the 10-Minute Plays Festival is pleased to announce that on 25th March 2026 the 2nd edition of the 10-minute literary contest has been officially resolved.

After a thorough evaluation of the submitted works, taking into account their high artistic quality, diversity of approaches to the theme, and originality of dramaturgical solutions, the Jury has selected six awarded plays, which will be presented as part of the programme of the 2nd edition of the festival, scheduled for May 16th 2026.

The full jury report is available here.

The Organizing Committee of the Festival will contact the awarded authors directly via email in order to provide further organizational details.

The competition and the festival are organized by the Centre for Foreign Language Teaching at the University of Warsaw (CNJO UW).

Dr Elżbieta Grzyb
and the Organizing Committee of the 10-Minute Plays Festival

Sorry, this entry is only available in Polski.