QUEERWARSAW
Teatr Polonia
Teatr Polonia theatre, 56 Marszałkowska Street, opened in 2005
Right next to the exit from Konstytucji Square direction centre is the first in Poland – and surely the most acclaimed – private theatre. It is the embodied vision of Krystyna Janda, one of the most prominent actresses in Poland. Formally the theatre is run by a foundation created by Janda, which has acquired the venue from a former cinema by the same name. Initially, the scene gained attention due to a conflict with the building's residents who tried to hinder any renovation and extension works of the theatre and later objected to the noise of the audience during intermissions. Their attitude arose most probably from the memory of the former “Polonia” cinema, which went bankrupt in early nineties. Most Warsaw's (not so elderly) citizens remember how it “disgraced” itself by screening (hetero) porn movies every evening. It was probably the only cinema to do so in whole of Warsaw! The conflict was however resolved amicably, and in 2005 Teatr Polonia opened with a play based on Dubravka Ugrešić's Štefica Cvek u raljama života [Steffie in the Jaws of Life]. Initially only the “small stage” was used for performances. The grand stage started operating less than a year later, after refurbishment. Polonia, a well managed theatre, staged entertaining plays, yet also ambitious ones, concerning important contemporary issues. It quickly gained popularity among Warsaw residents, presumably due to the charismatic persona of the whole establishment’s mother-manager, who has wholeheartedly committed herself to her life's passion.
From the very beginning, the manager has given refuge at her theatre to “orphaned” plays form closed Le Madame, including Patty Diphu 120. Polonia Theatre sa based on Pedro Almodovar's columns or Polish Miss HIV by Maciej Kowalski. Also, in her own productions, she never avoided accents dear to the LGBT community (staging a loose adaptation of Darkroom by Rjuana Jeger for example). Janda, one of the greatest Polish actresses, also known abroad (she debuted in Wajda's films and was his muse for many years. In 1990 she was awarded “Best actress” in Cannes), uncompromisingly “promotes” tolerance in her theatres, columns and also on her blog, which was recently published as a book. In 2007 she received the “Hiacynt” award from the Equality Foundation for consistently forwarding and supporting
182