A graduate of the Acting Department of the Ludwik Solski Academy for the Dramatic Arts in Kraków /1990/

1 November 1991 – The Stary Theatre, Kraków

She has offered up a dazzling range of characters in plays directed by Rudolf Zioło (Miranda in “The Tempest”), Tadeusz Bradecki (such as Juliet in “Measure for Measure,” Celia in “As You Like It”), Krystian Lupa (Cousin Agata in “Malte”), Mikołaj Grabowski, and Marek Fiedor. In “Iphigenia: A New Tragedy,” directed by Michał Zadara, she was compelling in the role of Clytemnestra: ‘Anna Radwan-Gancarczyk plays two women at once – a despairing mother and the grotesque wife of an eminent person, drunk on her importance. The actress hazards extreme modes of expression – she screams and gesticulates – yet she builds an intriguingly complex character’ (Małgorzata Ruda, Dekada Literacka). The ironic and sensual Anna Jagiellonka in Garbaczewski’s “Gallery of Polish Kings,” the down-to-earth, shell-shocked Woman from Poznań, and the ruthless Margaret Thatcher in Strzępka and Demirski’s “Battle of Warsaw 1920” (an award-winner at the festival in Kalisz) – these diametrically varied characters show the remarkable range of her acting abilities. In a later play by the famous duo – “The Undivine Comedy: I’M GONNA TELL GOD EVERYTHING” – she gave a show-stopping performance as the Wife.
A multidimensional actress of subtle beauty and an endearing smile, she finds her way splendidly in both tragic roles and comedies, in both classical and contemporary dramaturgy. Her brilliant roles in Warlikowski’s plays – in “Krum,” “(A)pollonia,” and “The End” – perfectly match the style of his theater, and impress us with the precision of what they capture on stage.
She has created a range of characters for Jan Klata’s performances, including Athena and Electra in “Oresteia”: ‘One sublime and wise in a perfect wisdom, “all-knowing”, the other devastated, deranged, alone, and powerless,’ and “The Secret Agent,” where she wooed audiences with her role as a subtle, tragically lovelorn woman.

The actress splendidly played the title role in Bogomolov’s “cross-gender” staging of “Platonov,” in which the director “depicted men’s increasing indecision and sense of quandary. (…) As such, the biggest ‘chick’ on stage is Platonov himself, who takes no joy in his conquests. Instead of feeling the devil-may-care abandon of the small-town reveler, he is increasingly torn and indecisive. He does not know what he wants. He follows his whims. Doubtless with the director’s blessings, Anna Radwan-Gancarczyk does alter her physicality. This means she shows the physical beauty of a man who is more attractive than his lovers. Being aware of how male pride and self-interest work, we can say that Platonov decided not to live with them because they were insufficiently alluring” (Jacek Cieślak, Teatr, 2016/4).

2015 – S. Wyspiański Award
2014 – 54 Kalisz Theater Gatherings – acting distinction for the roles of the Woman from Poznań and Margaret Thatcher in “Battle of Warsaw 1920” by P. Demirski, dir. M. Strzępka
2008 – 7th Festival of World Premieres, Bydgoszcz – acting award for the role of Clytemnestra in “Iphigénie: A New Tragedy Based on Racine’s Version,” dir. M. Zadara
2004 – 43rd Rzeszów Theater Gatherings – 3rd Place in the audience vote for the best female performance, for the role of Soprano in “Milk Opera” by S. Radwan, based on the drawings of A. Mleczko, dir. M. Grabowski
2003 – 9th Polish Competition for Staging Polish Contemporary Dramas – mentions for the role of Soprano in “Milk Opera” by S. Radwan based on the drawings of A. Mleczko, dir. M. Grabowski
1992 – Award of the Krakow branch of the Polish Culture Foundation

2015 – Silver Gloria Artis Medal