Ziemilski, Wojciech (2025) Now you know! Truth claims in Polish documentary theatre. Doctoral thesis, The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London.

Abstract

This thesis analyses instances where facts are effectively shared in documentary theatre. I argue that documentary theatre, understood as a realist approach asserting that 'something happened' (Reinelt 2009), can provide truth claims acknowledge by both creators and audiences. Through a historical and analytical framework focusing on the Polish stage, I explore how theatrical practices engage with veridical representation, challenging prevalent scepticism about truth in performance (Tomlin 2013; Garde and Mumford 2013).