Polski Theatre

Polski Theatre first opened its doors on 29 January, 1913. Its inaugural production was Zygmunta Krasinski's Iridiona. Founded by Arnold Szyfman, who later became its permanent theatre director, it was one of the biggest and well-equipped in Europe for that time. The theatre was marked by a very huge stage, hall with thousands seats, stylish decorations and most up-to-date technical equipment.

The first theatre's production - Iridiona by Zygmunta Krasinski became a very significant event in cultural and artistic life of the Polish capital. Theatre quickly gained respect and recognition. Soon its stage became a most popular theatre presentation place in Poland, all European well-known theatre collectives also chose to play there. It happened mostly due to the excellent theatre's repertoire, high-class stage performance and hard work of actors, producers and directors.

Such famous Polish actors and actresses as Irena Solska, Maria Duleba, Stanislawa Wysocka, Maria Przybylko-Potocka, Seweryna Broniszowna, Aleksander Zelwerowicz, Aleksander Wegierko, Kazimierz Junosza-Stepowski, Jerzy Leszczynski, Stefan Jaracz, Juliusz Osterwa, Jozef Wegrzyn have played there that time. Theatre's repertoire that time consisted mostly of Polish and international classical plays. Most recognized were stagings of Shakspear's and Shaw's famous masterpieces. In formation and development of theatre contributed famous Polish theatre producers including Leon Schiller, Aleksander Zelwerowicz, Aleksander Wegierko, Edmund Wiercinski.

During World War II theatre has passed through the hard times, but in 1946 it was already reopened and started to work again. It was forced to follow communist government directions and social realism became the main artistic course. Though fortunately it hasn't influenced the level of actors and producers techniques, which still remained very high. Repertoire was enriched with Polish classical and modern works.

From the beginning of 1981 Kazimierz Dejmek becomes the theatre's main art director. It was the time of the theatre's second Golden Age. Barbara Rachwalska, Anna Seniuk, Tadeusz Lomnicki, Stanislaw Zaczyk, Jan Englert, Zdzislaw Mrozewski, Bogdan Baer, Lech Ordon, Mariusz Dmochowski, Andrzej Szczepkowski, Andrzej Lapicki, Gustaw Holoubek and other famous actors and actresses become the members of theatre's collective. In 1981 the new stagings of Polish classical dramatic art works by Mrozek, Iredynski and Hlaski were carried out.

In 1993 Kazimierz Dejmek becomes a head of Polish Ministry of Culture and Arts and Jerzy Jasienski takes his seat of main theatre's director. From 1994 Andrzej Lapicki has worked in the theatre until he was replaced by Jaroslaw Kilian in 1999.

Theatre's name - Polski, which means Polish speaks for itself. Nowadays its repertoire mostly consists of Polish classical and modern works. But theatre's collective also pays tribute to world classical masterpieces.

From its very beginning 550 presentations took place on the theatre's main stage and about 200 took place on the Chamber scene.