Salisbury Arts centre, Flint Microfest, 2014.
Photo Priscila Buschinelli
'All Roads lead to Rome' was first performed in 2013. There have been two tours in -2014 and 2015. There have since been one off performances including 'Culture Station', Seoul, Korea. It was last performed in 2021.
Lakeside Theatre, University of Essex, Colchester. November 7th 2013, pre show title slide.
Photo Priscila Buschinelli
Lakeside Theatre, University of Essex, Colchester. November 7th 2013
Photo Priscila Buschinelli
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REVIEW-Neil Darcy-Jones
Colchester Evening gazette. November 13th 2013 LIKE SOMEONE SHOWING YOU SNAPS OF THEIR HOLS…..EXCEPT THIS IS GOOD! This is one of the best shows I have seen in a theatre - and it isn’t really a show. Chris Dobrowolski’s `All roads Lead to Rome’ at Essex University’s Lakeside Theatre, is more of a slide presentation and talk. It’s like someone showing you their holiday snaps- except this time you actually want to stay. In fact Chris’ charm and story is so infectious, you’d probably want him to do it all again same time next week. The talk is about a trip he and his girlfriend take in his old Triumph Herald, which his dad bought brand new when Chris’ mum was pregnant with him. He decides to take the car to Italy to meet the son of the man that designed it but also to retrace his father’s footsteps who fought there during the war. Visits to places such as Monte Cassino, one of the most infamous conflicts in the Second World War and the Senio crossing, where Polish soldiers were killed by American friendly fire, add beautiful poignant moments to what is essentially a light hearted, and at times very funny account. |
Photo Edd Hobbs Next page
The 2014 tour was supported by the Arts Council England.
and began with a sell out show in Ipswich.
InSuffolk Review
Steve Hawthorne
New Wolsey Studio,
Wednesday 26th February
Chris Dobrowolski’s one man show All Roads Lead to Rome gently merges travelogue, documentary and comedy to create an entirely beguiling personal tale of possessions, loss and consumerism. “It’s like a cheap version of Top Gear” is Chris’ introduction as he enters a stage bare save for a projection screen showing a photograph of Triumph Herald (1200 Estate in case you are interested), a laptop, a fridge with a screenless television placed on top and an old car seat.
In many ways All Roads… does resemble a Top Gear challenge: make a feintly ridiculous journey in an unsuitable mode of transport, both enjoy and send up the locals you meet along the way, and enable all of this only with the aid of garden shed level technology and engineering. However whilst I have no doubt that messers Clarkson, May and Hammond would enjoy the endeavour, Dobrowski finesses this boys-own tale so that those for whom an hour in the company of Jeremy Clarkson would be only marginally more preferable to gouging out their own eye-balls are able to enjoy the ride too.
With only projections of his Mother’s old photographs and some hand-held footage shot on the journey to distract the audience it is Dobrowolski’s warmly energetic and exasperated delivery which draws them into what is a rather unremarkable, if nevertheless interesting, story. Quickly establishing the car’s credentials – bought new when his Mother was expecting him – Dobrowski travels initially to Milan to pay a surprise call upon the son of the designer of the Triumph Herald before retracing his Father’s journey through Italy as part of the Polish Brigade in World War II.
Monte Cassino, Rome, Predappio (Mussolini’s birthplace) and the scene of Mussolini’s public display following execution are all visited. Yet despite the potentially savage route-march this appears to offer All Roads… remains a predominantly light-hearted stroll in Dobrowolski’s Father’s footsteps.
Yes there is some swearing – his Father learnt his English on the building site we are told – and the story of his Father’s encounter with an American corpse in a Monte Cassino fox-hole could not have been more visceral but somehow these did nothing to detract from the overwhelmingly sweet enchantment of All Roads…
Dobrowolski makes his points but does not labour them and by never allowing the search for the analogy to get in the way of the anecdote he maintains a rhythm and bounce to this performance which made All Roads Lead to Rome the most enjoyable, informative and funny hour I’ve spent in the theatre so far this year. In fact I’m tempted to say that in terms of theatre productions about driving a Triumph Herald around Italy then this is the best “in the World.”
and began with a sell out show in Ipswich.
InSuffolk Review
Steve Hawthorne
New Wolsey Studio,
Wednesday 26th February
Chris Dobrowolski’s one man show All Roads Lead to Rome gently merges travelogue, documentary and comedy to create an entirely beguiling personal tale of possessions, loss and consumerism. “It’s like a cheap version of Top Gear” is Chris’ introduction as he enters a stage bare save for a projection screen showing a photograph of Triumph Herald (1200 Estate in case you are interested), a laptop, a fridge with a screenless television placed on top and an old car seat.
In many ways All Roads… does resemble a Top Gear challenge: make a feintly ridiculous journey in an unsuitable mode of transport, both enjoy and send up the locals you meet along the way, and enable all of this only with the aid of garden shed level technology and engineering. However whilst I have no doubt that messers Clarkson, May and Hammond would enjoy the endeavour, Dobrowski finesses this boys-own tale so that those for whom an hour in the company of Jeremy Clarkson would be only marginally more preferable to gouging out their own eye-balls are able to enjoy the ride too.
With only projections of his Mother’s old photographs and some hand-held footage shot on the journey to distract the audience it is Dobrowolski’s warmly energetic and exasperated delivery which draws them into what is a rather unremarkable, if nevertheless interesting, story. Quickly establishing the car’s credentials – bought new when his Mother was expecting him – Dobrowski travels initially to Milan to pay a surprise call upon the son of the designer of the Triumph Herald before retracing his Father’s journey through Italy as part of the Polish Brigade in World War II.
Monte Cassino, Rome, Predappio (Mussolini’s birthplace) and the scene of Mussolini’s public display following execution are all visited. Yet despite the potentially savage route-march this appears to offer All Roads… remains a predominantly light-hearted stroll in Dobrowolski’s Father’s footsteps.
Yes there is some swearing – his Father learnt his English on the building site we are told – and the story of his Father’s encounter with an American corpse in a Monte Cassino fox-hole could not have been more visceral but somehow these did nothing to detract from the overwhelmingly sweet enchantment of All Roads…
Dobrowolski makes his points but does not labour them and by never allowing the search for the analogy to get in the way of the anecdote he maintains a rhythm and bounce to this performance which made All Roads Lead to Rome the most enjoyable, informative and funny hour I’ve spent in the theatre so far this year. In fact I’m tempted to say that in terms of theatre productions about driving a Triumph Herald around Italy then this is the best “in the World.”
Chelsea Theatre, 7-8 March.
Photo Priscila Buschinelli
Other venues on the 2014 tour
'Norden Farm Centre for the Arts'- Maidenhead, 'Chelsea theatre', 'Oxford Playhouse Studio', 'Nightingale' at the 'Marlborough'- Brighton; 'Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival' - Belfast (Review here NERDGEIST), 'Norwich Arts Centre' (interview on BBC Radio Norfolk and Mustard TV), 'Spital Arts' - Chesterfield, and 'Hotbed Festival' - 'Cambridge Junction theatre' , Flint Microfest, Salisbury Arts Centre.
The plan was to make the show fit in the car. Here I'm unloading in Edinburgh in front of the venue. Photo Calum Macmilan
NERDGEIST
All Roads Lead to Rome (Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival 2014) Belfast.
The Dark Horse, Thursday 8th May
“This is definitely not a play” Chris Dobrowolski began in response to a misleading advert of his one man show, All Roads Lead to Rome “this is what I like to call, pointing at pictures with a stick!” Whilst setting the light-hearted tone of the evening – and there certainly was a lot of picture pointing, to define the show on this remark alone severely underplays the quality of the performance; combining video, photography and some bizarre inventions. On entering Belfast’s The Dark Horse the first thing we noticed was an old black and white TV connected to a fridge via some large tubing, its function remained a mystery for the majority of the evening.
Part performance artist, part sculptor and inventor Dobrowolski’s project began with the resurrection of his Polish father’s old Triumph Herald Estate with a thorough repair one winter. It was then driven from his home town in Braintree, England and across Italy to find the factory where it was originally designed.
A quest made perilous by the regular break downs of the car, this tale may not initially appeal to everyone, especially when much of the introduction revolves around images from his mother’s photo album. Yet Dobrowolski’s eccentric and theatrical manner transforms ‘pointing at pictures with a stick’ into an engaging and thoroughly interesting investigation that develops from quirky art project that once completed became a personal journey retracing his father’s steps in Italy as a soldier in WWII.
All Roads Lead to Rome (Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival 2014) Belfast.
The Dark Horse, Thursday 8th May
“This is definitely not a play” Chris Dobrowolski began in response to a misleading advert of his one man show, All Roads Lead to Rome “this is what I like to call, pointing at pictures with a stick!” Whilst setting the light-hearted tone of the evening – and there certainly was a lot of picture pointing, to define the show on this remark alone severely underplays the quality of the performance; combining video, photography and some bizarre inventions. On entering Belfast’s The Dark Horse the first thing we noticed was an old black and white TV connected to a fridge via some large tubing, its function remained a mystery for the majority of the evening.
Part performance artist, part sculptor and inventor Dobrowolski’s project began with the resurrection of his Polish father’s old Triumph Herald Estate with a thorough repair one winter. It was then driven from his home town in Braintree, England and across Italy to find the factory where it was originally designed.
A quest made perilous by the regular break downs of the car, this tale may not initially appeal to everyone, especially when much of the introduction revolves around images from his mother’s photo album. Yet Dobrowolski’s eccentric and theatrical manner transforms ‘pointing at pictures with a stick’ into an engaging and thoroughly interesting investigation that develops from quirky art project that once completed became a personal journey retracing his father’s steps in Italy as a soldier in WWII.
Original advertising material for the Herald estate.
The main bulk of the show follows Dobrowolski’s visits to various locations that were part of his father’s war time experience and the darker parts of Italy’s recent history, pieced together for the audience with video, images and stories (delivered with the original ‘colourful’ English language that his father learnt working on a building site). From the Polish war cementary at Monte Cassino, to the sinister Fascist memorabilia shops and off-licenses of Predappio the Triumph Herald car is present throughout. Along the way Dobrowolski provides some humorous observations on human attachment to objects and consumerism, embodied by his own sentiment towards his father’s car and explored in his impressive kinetic art pieces built on his trip. This is followed by a darkly amusing side quest to discover who or what resides where Mussolini was publicly hanged, as always despite some of the more morbid content, Dobrowolski’s entertaining delivery rarely misses the mark.
As the show draws to a close, the mystery of the TV fridge is unleashed and the journey ends with a rather poignant twist that occurred more recently whilst All Roads Lead to Rome had been touring. Still building and exploring, you can keep updated with this project on his blog.
I think this show will appeal to fans of storytelling, art and comedy alike, so if you are looking for something a little different I’d highly recommend checking this out when Chris Dobrowolski takes his travels to a place near you.
As the show draws to a close, the mystery of the TV fridge is unleashed and the journey ends with a rather poignant twist that occurred more recently whilst All Roads Lead to Rome had been touring. Still building and exploring, you can keep updated with this project on his blog.
I think this show will appeal to fans of storytelling, art and comedy alike, so if you are looking for something a little different I’d highly recommend checking this out when Chris Dobrowolski takes his travels to a place near you.
Photo:Iris Dobrowolski -Image: Chris and his dad in 1978 on a day out to Harwich.
Honour Bayes
The Stage.
South Street Arts, Reading. 2015
This much-lauded show by Chris Dobrowolski unpicks the spikey relationship between communism and consumerism using nothing but a PowerPoint presentation. Brilliant.
'House Theatre' tour 2015
South Street Theatre-Reading
The Theatre - Chipping Norton
Tom Thumb Theatre- Margate
The Spring Arts and Heritage centre- Havant, Hampshire
Letchworth Arts Centre
The Showroom-Chichester
Kings Lynn Arts Centre
The old Fire Station- Oxford
ICIA (Institute of Contemporary Interdisciplinary Arts) Bath
Phoenix Theatre and Arts Centre - Bordon, Hampshire
Riverhouse Arts Centre - Walton-on Thames, London
The Stage.
South Street Arts, Reading. 2015
This much-lauded show by Chris Dobrowolski unpicks the spikey relationship between communism and consumerism using nothing but a PowerPoint presentation. Brilliant.
'House Theatre' tour 2015
South Street Theatre-Reading
The Theatre - Chipping Norton
Tom Thumb Theatre- Margate
The Spring Arts and Heritage centre- Havant, Hampshire
Letchworth Arts Centre
The Showroom-Chichester
Kings Lynn Arts Centre
The old Fire Station- Oxford
ICIA (Institute of Contemporary Interdisciplinary Arts) Bath
Phoenix Theatre and Arts Centre - Bordon, Hampshire
Riverhouse Arts Centre - Walton-on Thames, London
Image : The first review for 'All Roads lead to Rome' came out 4/08/13 in the 'SUNDAY TIMES'.
Edinburgh festival 2013.
'Reviewing my reviews'
The "Scotsman", "Three Weeks" and "Broadway Baby" all gave the show 4 stars but Gerald Berkowitz from the "The Stage" was ...a bit sniffy.
The show changed a lot after Edinburgh and at some point the negative review by Gerald Berkowitz disappeared from 'THE STAGE' website although I managed to find it here at - 'Theatreguide.London- (Reviews 'Edinburgh Festival and Fringe 2013'). In 2015 when the show was on tour, Honour Bayes, also writing for 'THE STAGE', saw it at South St. theatre, Reading and called it ' brilliant!' ... so there, lol.
Other Edinburgh reviews below.
The Scotsman ("Hot show"- Four stars)
Fringe review (Highly recomended)
Broadway Baby (Four stars)
Three Weeks (Four stars)
Total Theatre
'Reviewing my reviews'
The "Scotsman", "Three Weeks" and "Broadway Baby" all gave the show 4 stars but Gerald Berkowitz from the "The Stage" was ...a bit sniffy.
The show changed a lot after Edinburgh and at some point the negative review by Gerald Berkowitz disappeared from 'THE STAGE' website although I managed to find it here at - 'Theatreguide.London- (Reviews 'Edinburgh Festival and Fringe 2013'). In 2015 when the show was on tour, Honour Bayes, also writing for 'THE STAGE', saw it at South St. theatre, Reading and called it ' brilliant!' ... so there, lol.
Other Edinburgh reviews below.
The Scotsman ("Hot show"- Four stars)
Fringe review (Highly recomended)
Broadway Baby (Four stars)
Three Weeks (Four stars)
Total Theatre
'HOT SHOW' 'The Scotsman' , review. I actually use this press clipping in the show.
Seoul, Korea
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In 2017 the show was performed three times at 'Cuture Station 284' ,Seoul, Korea with subtitles. Culture station also made their own promo video with an upbeat soundtrack- which I found a little strange but it makes me smile.