Although just concluded, this season was perhaps the most open, rich, and diverse in the history of the Old Theatre: animated by our first choreographic performance and the wild rhythm of silent disco, filled with inclusive workshops, international exchanges, festival awards, and exciting premieres – from the queer “The Story of Sin” by Wojtek Rodak to the meditative “Yoga” by Anna Smolar.

SEASON 2023/2024: OLD THEATRE IN MOTION

Did you know that the past season was the most… moving in the history of the National Old Theatre? We realized our first choreographic performance – vibrant with the sensual rhythms of mambo “Boa” by Paweł Sakowicz, organized choreographic workshops and – to close the season – an open Silent Disco at Szczepański Square.

SEASON 2023/24: OLD THEATRE LEARNING

Did you know that the past season was the most… educational in the history of the National Old Theatre? Our theatre education center and MICET museum organized a record number of workshops, educational sessions, guided tours, and exhibitions (320 for 6,606 participants). Together with you, we learned about theatre, each other, and the world. Thank you!

SEASON 2023/24: OLD THEATRE OF NEW NORMATIVITIES

Did you know that the past season was probably the most… queer in the history of the National Old Theatre? We explored what escapes normative schemes in “The Story of Sin” directed by Wojtek Rodak, “The Magnetism of Hearts” directed by Kalina Dębska, “Boa” by Paweł Sakowicz, and during the performative concert “Sweet(y) Stary in Concert vol. 4”. In collaboration with the University of Cincinnati, we organized workshops for students in Polish theatre schools dedicated to inclusive language in theatre!

SEASON 2023/24: MEMORY

Did you know that… memory and history accompanied us this season both on stage and in the daily functioning of the Old Theatre? We dedicated two premieres to the interpenetration of temporal orders: “Time Shelter” directed by Marcin Wierzchowski and “A minor apocalypse 20XX” directed by Waldemar Raźniak. Meanwhile, we celebrated a series of important jubilees: the 65th anniversary of Anna Polony’s creative work, the 200th performance of “Siblings” by Krystian Lupa, and the granting of the title of honorary citizen of Krakow to Anna Dymna.

SEASON 2023/24: AWARDS AND TRIUMPHS

Did you know that… although life in the theatre is not always a bed of roses, it can be full of laurels that are hard to keep up with? This was the case this season at the National Old Theatre, as our productions won a multitude of festival awards (16). A record number of distinctions were won by “Once Upon a Long Day” by Luk Perceval and “My Brilliant Friend” by Ewelina Marciniak. Thank you!

SEASON 2023/24: A GLANCE AT THE AUDIENCE

Did you know that… a theatre does not exist without you? There is no theatre without the Audience. That’s why we are grateful that you joined us so numerously (71,762 viewers at a record number of 420 performances)! Attendance at our shows this season exceeded 95%, and in some cases even surpassed 100%! We found evidence that some of you watched the same performances dozens of times, and this is probably not the record. Additionally, you accompanied us at Anna Dymna’s Krakow Poetry Salons, debates, workshops, and performances with student IDs, at the MICET theatre education center, during concerts, and at the theatre shop. We hope you will keep coming back!

SEASON 2023/24: OLD THEATRE IS A WOMAN

Did you know that… although there were no shortage of male directors at the Old Theatre this season, the invited creative teams were led by women? Anna Smolar returned to our walls for the third time, and Kalina Jagoda Dębska made her directorial debut with us! In this context, not only the present and the future were important to us: this season we published a book dedicated to Lidia Zamkow, a great, unrecognized visionary of 20th-century theatre!

SEASON 2023/24: OLD THEATRE ACCESSIBLE

Did you know that… we are constantly developing the accessibility of the Old Theatre for people with different needs? We organized 8 performances with audio description and 7 performances with Polish subtitles. “Boa” was one of the first choreographic performances with audio description in Poland! You really enjoyed the master choreographic workshop “Body Language. From Sign Language to Choreography” led by Patrycja Jarosińska, a deaf dancer and choreographer. Blind and deaf people could also visit the Old Theatre for the first time thanks to audio description and translation into Polish Sign Language (PJM). Many of you also used the induction loop installed across the entire audience of the Camera Stage.

SEASON 2023/24: OLD THEATRE INTERNATIONAL

Did you know that… in the 2023/24 season we successfully staged three of our productions from recent seasons by international creative teams (“3STRS,” “The threepenny opera,” “Once Upon a Long Day”) and started the fourth (“The Earth Is Flat” directed by Julian Hetzel)? At the same time, we trained a group of students from the Drama Studio in London and organized lectures on Shakespeare by Patrick Spottiswoode and Emma Hands for students from Poland. National Old Theatre remains an active member of the Union of European Theatres. We also participated in 5 international festivals, for the first time as a co-organizer of the Generation After Showcase with the production “Art of Living” directed by Katarzyna Kalwat.