Generation After. Showcase: Boundary Situation

In 2021, the Polish state’s actions toward refugees came as a shock to many. Four years have passed, and both national and international courts have issued rulings confirming the illegality of the systemic pushbacks across the border. Has anything changed? Is the state still breaking the law?

Boundary Situation, using the format of a court hearing, raises questions about the rule of law, human rights, and the current situation on the eastern border.

The performance examines the ongoing crisis of the rule of law on the Polish–Belarusian border, exploring the legal and humanitarian consequences of actions taken by Polish authorities in the border zone. It shows how border politics affect the entire country. Combining elements of theatre and legal analysis, Boundary Situation creates a space for reflection on the role of laws, the state of the rule of law, and the responsibility of the state for migrants’ rights.

Boundary Situation is a project of the Institute for Performative Law (IPL), which treats art as a catalyst for social change. Previous IPL projects include Responsibility (2022), focused on the migration crisis, and Silence (2023), a performance addressing war crimes and international justice. IPL brings together legal professionals, activists, journalists, theatre makers, and artists to understand and influence reality through artistic and legal tools. IPL is a program of CENTRALA, an organization founded by artists and cultural managers to carry out projects at the intersection of different disciplines.

Organized by the Nowy Teatr for the ninth time Generation After. Showcase is an intense presentation of new trends in the Polish theatre. It presents the newest developments taking place on Polish theatre stages to representatives and programmers of the most important festivals and theatre institutions from Europe, Asia and the Americas. This year's edition will be held on September 4-6, 2025.