Marek Kochan

(b. 1969) – a prose writer and playwright.

He lectures in rhetoric and runs training sessions in public speaking and media contact for press agents, public relations specialists, managers, lawyers and politicians. He has written books on this subject, including ‘Slogany w reklamie i polityce’ (Slogans in Advertising and Politics, 2002). His short stories have appeared in anthologies, such as ‘Wizyta Czarlsa’ (‘Charles’s Visit’) and ‘Szrot’ (‘Junkyard’) in ‘20 lat pod Lampą’ (Twenty Years Under the Lamp, 2011), and ‘Sto kobiet, które kochają się w Mittelhornie’ (‘One Hundred Women Who Love Each Other in Mittelhorn’) in ‘Autor przychodzi wieczorem’ (The Author Comes by Evening, 2012). His short stories have been translated into Croatian, Czech and German. He has worked with such journals as: FA-art, Dialog, Bluszcz, Lampa, Wyspa and Machina.

Marek Kochan’s literary work addresses current issues that move the culture of the time and the present society, describing the impact of media on our perception of reality and audiences, often portraying the swiftly changing reality after 1989. His stories are analytical and written with a knowledge of the topic, yet are accessible, making them appeal to both specialists and the wider reading public. His writing likes to explore the persuasive power of language. He enjoys displaying the grotesque and humorous side of the world. Kochan’s protagonists represent a whole spectrum of society, from high-earning corporate businessmen to people living in low-income high-rises.

The novel Franquizea is a satire on contemporary society, revealing the mechanisms of consumerism and the loss of individuality. It is a sharp and critical analysis of a contemporary society that has sacrificed its authenticity in order to adapt to market demands. In ‘Plac zabaw’ (Playground), in turn, the author nimbly draws out cultural stereotypes, creating a narrative both witty and bitterly ironic. Showing the gradual change in masculine roles, where they now ‘sit at home’ and raise children, and the dynamic women becoming the heads of the family, he tries to pick apart the specifics of family and male/female relationships.

Marek Kochan’s work for the stage, in turn, often experiments with dramatic forms, using audience interaction. His works probe the line between fiction and reality, showing how these two worlds overlap. The figures are presented in a multidimensional way, to show their psychological depth and allow the author to delve into their motivations and emotions. His ‘Dramaty polskie’ (Polish Dramas), joining contemporary life and tradition, offers reflections on the modern-day world, displaying its absurdities and paradoxes.

Marek Kochan’s dramas have been staged in Naples, Berlin, Tel Aviv, Buenos Aires and New York. Some have been performed in TVP Television Theatre and Polish Radio Theatre (Holyfood, Rio, ‘Reduty’ [Masked Balls], ‘Traktat o miłości’ [A Treatise on Love]). He was honoured with the audience award at the international theatre festival in Heidelberg (for Argo, 2006), the Special Award at the Polish Radio Programme Two and ZAiKS Authors’ Association (for Masked Balls, 2013), First Prize and Special Award at the Polish Radio Programme Two and ZAiKS Authors’ Association (for Lento rubato, 2016).