I arrived at the Arsus Cultural Center for an evening with Kabaret Nowaki and their show “Moda na Nowaki” (The Nowaki Trend). The name alone suggested that tonight, ordinary reality would be undergoing a major renovation. And everything normal would be slightly twisted, amped up, and served in a definitely much funnier version. Adrianna Borek, Tomasz Marciniak, and Kamil Piróg appeared on stage. These are three artists who can turn even the simplest topic into a full-fledged cabaret adventure. Their energy was so high that at times you could get the impression the stage was too small and the audience’s laughter too loud. “Moda na Nowaki” turned out to be a showcase of the group’s signature style—full of absurd situations, exaggerated characters, and looking at everyday life through very unusual glasses.
There was no shortage of themes known from their regular repertoire. We saw the trials and tribulations of “Krystyna at the doctor,” extraordinary driving test adventures, and sketches with characters who turned ordinary problems into comedic chaos. Adrianna Borek drew attention with her immense expressiveness and comedic timing, able to create a character that won the audience’s sympathy in seconds. Tomasz Marciniak brought a laid-back vibe and a distinctively male perspective on life’s complications to the stage. Kamil Piróg, on the other hand, drove the action with the energy of a guy who could turn even standing still into a spectacle.
The greatest strength of the evening was the direct contact with the audience. Kabaret Nowaki didn’t give the impression of a group just running through a rehearsed program. It looked more like they had invited the whole room to have fun together, and every viewer was quietly appointed as a member of their cabaret world. Every new sketch brought a fresh dose of humor. Sometimes the laughter was triggered by the characters’ over-the-top reactions, other times by an absurd idea pushed to its absolute limits. The audience quickly forgot about their everyday issues. That evening, there was only one main task—to laugh so long that your cheeks started reminding you they have their limits too.