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We are thrilled to announce!
The performance “If I Had a Gun, I’d Take Them All Down”, co-produced by the Trans Atlantyk Theatre Foundation and FestivALT, will be presented at the Konfrontacje Teatralne Festival in Lublin on October 3rd and 4th! 🎭✨
If I Had a Gun, I’d Take Them All Down is a monodrama by Ukrainian artist Piotr Armianovski that transcends the traditional boundaries of stage storytelling. It is a raw and uncompromising meditation on Ukraine’s unending struggle with cyclical violence and Russian aggression. |UKR 
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The performance is inspired by the true story of Dmitry Bogrov (1887–1911) – a Ukrainian-Jewish lawyer, double agent, and revolutionary who, in 1911, assassinated Russian Prime Minister Pyotr Stolypin (1862–1911) at the Kyiv Opera House. Bogrov was arrested, tried, and executed shortly thereafter.
Through innovative use of video and sound design, the performance immerses the audience in both historical and contemporary Kyiv; retracing the path that led the young Bogrov to his final act, while at the same time reflecting the author’s personal experiences of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
WHAT DOES THE REVIEW SAY?
“What price are we willing to pay in the attempt to create a better world?”
“Rubenfeld, in the role of a city guide, leads us through the bloody history of a city that kills its heroes, such as journalist Pavel Sheremet, through a murky world in which those who one day fight for a free Ukraine may the next day offer their services to Russian intelligence.”
“Together with the co-creator of the performance, Paul Bargetto, Rubenfeld guides the audience through Kyiv… allowing us to sink into its beauty while at the same time listening to the intricate details of Rubenfeld’s story.”
“To build a better world, one must first tear down the old one.”
“This unique performance, delivered in English, is a rare intellectual attempt to prompt the audience to reflect more deeply on the current realities of power… it may serve as a powerful starting point for asking what price, if any, we are willing to pay in order to recognize the difference between good and evil.”
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
30th edition of the Konfrontacje Teatralne Festival in Lublin
From the very beginning, the festival’s aim has been to confront the achievements of Lublin’s theatre community with the work of ensembles from across Poland, as well as to present the most interesting currents in world theatre.
The main theme of this year’s edition is “The Banquet/ „Uczta”” Although the title may seem controversial in times of escalating armed conflicts, it is a conscious decision. In the context of Plato’s work, The Banquet symbolizes the pursuit of goodness and, through it, of peace.
The festival’s program focuses on the question “Logos — an enslaved mind?” — asking whether our contemporary rationality truly gives us freedom, or whether it instead limits us and exposes the weaknesses of today’s Western civilization. During this year’s Banquet, we will present performances that critically address violence, war, social inequality, and Poland’s often dark legacy.
The jubilee 30th edition of Konfrontacje Teatralne – The Banquet „Uczta”– is also a symbolic gathering and a summation of the many years of work of those who have created the Festival.
This event is part of the “ReActMem” project, co-funded by the European Union under the CERV program and the program of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2025.
The views and opinions expressed in this document are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union. The European Union cannot be held responsible for them.
