Lewandowski, Robert

A mysterious play for two elderly men and a choir 

(Tycho de Brache – nickname of a Polish writer) 

After years of absence, its former tenant and founder returns to the monastery. He is not expected – the doorkeeper takes him for a ghost. The Guest returns not only as a penitent, but also as an accuser. He demands an acceptance and judgment of the past. Years ago, involved in the play of ambition that pushed him into a fight with his mate Peter, he rejected bishops’ regard. As a result Peter became the Abbot and the Guest burning with desire to win him over decided to lock himself up in his cell. This extreme form of retreat gave the entry for the demons of pride and revenge. He put the fire in his cell and ran away when it started to spread. The flames became a sort of catharsis, purification from dirt and sins. But the Abbot rebuilds the monastery and he announces that the handful of ashes are the relics of their dear brother who lost his life in the flames. Thus, for the society he is dead and his grave is famous for miracles. “What do you want now?” the Abbot asks. “You are a martyr here. And a saint!” The Guest wants the Abbot to call back the lies. 
The question is: which of them is closer to the heavenly realm? The decent Abbot with his simple faith and profound care of the community, or the Guest, conscious of his faults and wishing the truth to be announced? The Guest comes for punishment, he wants to be judged. The Abbot’s answer is no. As an excuse he uses Christian mercy, but there is a strong willingness to preserve his comfortable situation. The penitent yearns for purification of everything that once has been spoiled. “Your goodness is nothing but cruelty!” he shouts to the Abbot. But the latter smiles. He listens to the choir of the monks. Who would dare to break their peace of minds?

The main characters: Gucio (an alcoholic, thief and dangerous murderer, very low IQ), a Blond Man (appeals to Gucio's soul), Deskorolek (a junkie, Gucio's mate; they work together); a Woman (she gives the police Gucio's address) 
The supportive characters: Gucio's mummy (a prostitute), Gucio's Girlfriend, Her Lover, also: some of the Men and Women that Gucio killed; a millitary commando and the police (they catch Gucio and interview him); gangsters; 

The story starts with barbaric Gucio committing one good deed before he’s caught and put into a prison for his past. He actually asks for being caught. Apparently he has enough of his lifestyle. Who made him aware of all this? Well, Gucio has been visited by a Blond Man (he appears later at the police station) who in details discusses with him all his horrid actions (thefts, robberies, burglaries, homicides, sexual acts with his own mother). The mysterious man speaks as if in an aside to foolish Gucio. How did he get to know all Gucio's sins? We don't know. Thus, the Blond Man may be an incorporation of Gucio's higher consciousness, or God's messenger, or some kind of "mystical agent". The Blond Man is persisting and insisting on "going up". He constantly refers to highness and goodness. Gucio doesn't understand a word. Sometimes the "secret agent" makes fun of him, for example, while describing the beauty of a gothic cathedral of Milan where (hundreds of years ago) a certain criminal made an offering of gold in order to bribe the Ultimate Judges.

The title "Gothic" is present in the blond agent's speech. The trivial and barbaric reality of drinking, breaking law and swearing is opposed to the spiritual reality of light and a better world. Having involved himself in a chain of crimes, Gucio discovers that his name is known and released in the papers. There is a reward of 50 000 PLN for giving Gucio away. For him it is a reason to be proud. To be worth so much money! All these people who call him rubbish are mistaken; they must agree that for rubbish nobody pays so much money. Gucio carries the stripe of the paper with himself; he shows it to everybody who is willing to listen to him. Finally, as a result of denunciation, Gucio is being caught and locked in prison. In the end we find out that he arranged to be caught by telling a certain Woman an address under which he is to be found. For the Woman the reward is a great chance for her sick child's operation. When she discovers that her "benefactor" is also the criminal, she is completely taken aback. She wants to turn everything back, trying to explain the situation to the police, wants to speak to the Blond Man that she has spoken to before. But it's too late now. Gucio is in a cell. The Blond Man has disappeared. The most interesting element of the story seems to be motivation. Only this time we don't ask about crime's motive, we want to know Gucio's motive for his noble action. What is that? Being tired of the chain of horrid things? A practical attitude? A strong willingness to fix himself? In the scene of conversation with the Woman Gucio appears almost as Raskolnikov, but this is just for a moment. There is still a lot of uncertainty around his behaviour. This unsolved puzzle is at the core of the whole drama and it cannot be explained.