Teatr dialogu, którego (nieomal) nie było ………. 501

THE THEATER OF DIALOGUE THAT (ALMOST) NEVER WAS

This article examines the relationship between theater and cinema in the work of two German directors: Detlef Sierck (later known as Douglas Sirk) and Rainer Werner Fassbinder. The author attempts to reconstruct their theatrical experiences, which −though often overshadowed by their cinematic achievements −played a significant role in shaping their artistic language. In the case of Sierck, the article discusses his early theatrical productions in Germany in the 1920s and 1930s and their connections to the aesthetics of Expressionism and inspirations drawn from Bertolt Brecht’s theater. Fassbinder’s theater, in turn, is analyzed in the context of postwar German culture, the alternative theater movement, and his work with the Action-Theater and Antiteater groups. The author highlights the significance of Brechtian theatrical strategies −such as the alienation effect, minimalist set design, and a critical attitude toward stage illusion −in the work of both artists, as well as their subsequent transformation into cinematic language. The article also explores the dialogue between the work of Sirk and Fassbinder, highlighting the cinematic and aesthetic inspirations that united the two directors despite their generational differences.