Academic research on theatre, dance, drama, and performance is conducted at the Department of Theatre History and Theory, with reference to both historical and contemporary phenomena, from social, comparative, and interdisciplinary perspectives.
The research includes documentation and editorial work, the history of theatre criticism, biographical studies, monographic analyses, and historical syntheses.
The current structure of the Department consists of three research units and the editorial office of the journal Pamiętnik Teatralny. As part of its academic activity, the Department carries out research, publishing, and seminar projects.
The Department is headed by Joanna Krakowska, Associate Professor at the Institute of Art of the Polish Academy of Sciences.
- Contemporary Theatre Section
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The Contemporary Theatre Section conducts comprehensive research into theatre, dance, drama and performance art from the 20th and 21st centuries, adopting theoretical, historical, analytical, comparative and documentary perspectives. Researchers affiliated with this section have published monographs on specific artistic phenomena, as well as biographies, lexicographical and encyclopaedic works, historical syntheses, essay collections, theoretical publications, and important editorial and documentary works. The Section's projects are often interdisciplinary and carried out in cooperation with other research and artistic institutions.
- Contemporary Theatre Section - Archive of the Biographical Dictionary of Theatre
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The Archive collects materials concerning the biographies and activities of Polish theatre artists. It has its own catalogues and files, including a catalogue of posters from various collections in Poland and Lviv; files and materials concerning deceased and living theatre figures; bibliographic files containing printed and archival materials and periodicals; a personal and repertoire card index based on the "Kurier Warszawski" newspaper from 1906 to 1939; personal files from the provincial press from 1900 to 1939; and iconographic files. The archive was created by the editors of the three-volume Biographical Dictionary of Polish Theatre, published in 1973, 1994 and 2017.
The Archive is managed by Grażyna Chmielewska and Anna Jędrzejczyk, phone: (22) 50 48 225
- Community Theatre Section
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The Social Theatre Section was established in 2018 to implement a research grant dedicated to the Węgajty Theatre (2018–2024). The section conducts research into theatre practised by disadvantaged and marginalised groups in times of crisis, focusing on three main areas: war theatre, prison theatre, and the history of women's theatre. Justyna Biernat is studying theatre during World War II, with a particular focus on the artistic, educational and underground activities of Jews in the Tomaszów Mazowiecki ghetto. Magdalena Hasiuk is researching theatre created in Polish prisons, paying particular attention to the Kobietostan Collective. Katarzyna Kułakowska is working to expand Polish theatre studies from a feminist perspective. She heads the HyPaTia team grant project on Women's History of Polish Theatre. Another important area of research interest for the Social Theatre Section is devised theatre.
The Section is responsible for databases: Archiwum Teatru Węgajty, and HyPaTia. Kobieca Historia Polskiego Teatru.
- Early Theatre Section
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The Early Theatre Section conducts research on the Polish reception of the works of Shakespeare and Molière, the early history of Polish stages, and theatrical life in the former Eastern Borderlands.
- Editorial Office of the Quarterly “Pamiętnik Teatralny”
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Pamiętnik Teatralny [Theatrical Memoir] is a peer-reviewed, bilingual Polish-English academic journal focusing on the history and historiography of theater, drama, and performance. The quarterly covers mainly topics related to the broadly understood theatrical culture (especially in Poland), inviting other contexts of theater and drama studies and interdisciplinary approaches as well. Among the methodologically diverse articles we publish, the contributions based on archival documents or annotated critical editions hold a special place. Pamiętnik Teatralny also publishes essay-clusters focused on a special topic and essay-length book reviews.
More information on the journal's website
