Laboratory Theatre of 13 Rows
After Stanisław Wyspiański
Directed by Józef Szajna and Jerzy Grotowski
Premiere of first version: Opole, 9 October 1962 (closed), 10 October 1962 (official)

Description: poster for the fifth version of Akropolis, 1967
Design: Waldemar Krygier
Source: Laboratory Theatre/The Grotowski Institute Archive

Akropolis is considered a particular realisation of the poor theatre and is still considered one of the canonical masterpieces of twentieth-century theatre. Shown for the first time in October 1962, the performance underwent numerous changes in the following months and years. The creators marked the changes by announcing premieres of different versions which – beyond the changes in cast – feature significant differences that have yet to be fully researched. The best known is the fifth and final version with Zygmunt Molik (as Jacob and the Harpist), Rena Mirecka (as Rebecca and Cassandra), Antoni Jahołkowski (as Isaac and the Guard), Ryszard Cieślak (occasionally replaced by Czesław Wojtała as Esau and Hector), Zbigniew Cynkutis (as Laban and Paris), Stanisław Scierski (as Clio and Helena) and Andrzej Paluchiewicz. This version was first performed on 17 May 1967 in Wrocław and then on foreign tours, beginning in Amsterdam (18–19 June 1967), Utrecht (20 June 1967), The Hague (21–22 June 1967), Rotterdam (23–24 June 1967), Brussels (26–28 June 1967), Edinburgh (22–30 August 1968), Paris (24 September – 26 October 1968), Aix-en-Provence (4–26 November 1968), and New York (4–15 November 1969). This version was also filmed between 27 October and 2 November 1968 by US television (produced by James McTaggart; the television broadcast was introduced by Peter Brook). The first and second versions were performed outside Opole during guest performances in Wrocław (12–14 November 1962), Poznań (16–19 November 1962), Złoty Stok (4 December 1962), Gliwice (6–7 December 1962), Katowice (9–11 December 1962), Łódź (20 February – 3 March 1963, and Kraków (9–15 May 1963). The fourth version was presented in Kłodzko (18 June 1965).

Laboratory Theatre of 13 Rows – The Institute for Studies of the Method of Acting
After Pedro Calderón de la Barca and Juliusz Słowacki
Adapted and directed by Jerzy Grotowski
Premiere of the first version: Wrocław, 20 April 1965 (closed), 25 April 1965 (official)

Description: poster for the third version of The Constant Prince, 1968
Design: Waldemar Krygier
Source: Laboratory Theatre/The Grotowski Institute Archive

The Constant Prince became one of Grotowski’s most famous performances and entered the canon of twentieth-century theatre masterpieces. It was performed around Poland (Łódź 1–4 October 1965; Gdańsk 7–10 October 1965), though it was mainly staged as a touring production abroad: Stockholm (21 February – 2 March 1965), Copenhagen (5–14 March 1966) and Oslo (20–22 March 1966), in Paris (21–25 June 1966 in the prestigious Paris Odéon as part of the 10^th Theatre of Nations – it was these performances in what at the time was the world’s cultural capital that gained The Constant Prince international renown), Amsterdam as part of the Holland Festival (28 June – 2 July 1966), Liège (27–30 September 1966), Spoleto (2–8 July 1967), Belgrade (9–12 September 1967), Mexico (4–18 September 1968), London (25–29 September 1969), Manchester (2–3 and 6–7 October 1969), Lancaster (10–11 October 1969), New York (16 October – 2 November, 29 November – 3 December, 5–7 December 1969), Shiraz, Iran, (26 August – 5 September 1970), Beirut (9–10, 12–14 September 1970), Teheran (17 December 1970) and West Berlin (3–6 and 8–10 December 1970).