Teatr

Theatre and plays in Wrocław and Lower Silesia: the stages, halls and clubs where they run. Find out where to see a performance this week.

This page gathers plays from the events calendar, from large drama stages to halls in culture centres of smaller towns. We do not list titles here, because the repertoire changes every week, but we show where to look, how to choose a stage and how to buy a ticket. Permanent theatres with full descriptions are in the section theatre and opera.

Where can you see a play in Wrocław?

Performances in Wrocław run on several stages: the Main Stage and the Attic Stage (Scena na Strychu) of the Wrocław Contemporary Theatre, Impart Centrum, the ATM Stage in Bielany, the Nowy Pafawag Culture Centre and the Radio Wrocław Concert Hall. Clubs such as Klub Wędrówki add to this list.

The calendar also includes theatres that have no single permanent stage. The company Ad Spectatores is a private theatre that plays on several stages in the city, among them the Browar Mieszczański and the Attic Stage. With this company always check the address of the hall, not only the name of the theatre.

If you would rather have an evening of a different kind, look at the sections music and cabaret, and see every type of event in the events calendar.

How do you choose a theatre?

Start with the kind of evening you want. Drama and the classics belong to drama stages, light entertainment to comedy theatres, and movement without words to pantomime. Children are best taken to a puppet or animation theatre. Each of these types has its own address with an attraction card in Wrocław.

• Polish Theatre in Wrocław: a municipal cultural institution that works on three stages, with a main building from the early twentieth century.
• Komedia Theatre: a private stage on Plac Teatralny with light comedy and an online booking system.
• Pantomime Theatre in Borek: the only place in this list devoted entirely to the art of mime, together with a Pantomime Studio and workshops.
• Arka Theatre: a professional integrative theatre where actors with intellectual disability appear alongside professional actors.
• Wrocław Puppet Theatre: a puppet stage with a repertoire for children, young people and adults.

When a theatre has several stages, the calendar names them separately. The Main Stage and the Attic Stage are two different halls of the same company, so when you buy, check which one the ticket is for.

Does theatre play outside Wrocław?

Yes, and in many towns. Plays are hosted by the Legnica Cultural Centre and Teatr Avatar in Legnica, the MUZA Cultural Centre in Lubin, the Zdrojowy Animation Theatre in Jelenia Góra, the Kłodzko Cultural Centre, the European Cooperation Centre "Odra" in Oława and the Municipal Culture House in Zgorzelec.

In Bolesławiec performances appear in the FORUM hall of the Bolesławiec Cultural Centre and in Teatr Stary, and in Dzierżoniów in the Kinoteatr Zbyszek. The calendar also includes a theatre stage in a hotel in Karpacz, a cinema in Milicz and a hall in Oleśnica. In Głogów theatre events are run by the Municipal Cultural Centre, which includes the Andreas Gryphius Theatre with its own theatre hall.

If you travel from another town, begin with the calendar of the town: Legnica, Jelenia Góra and Bolesławiec each have their own events page, and in Wałbrzych you will find the Jerzy Szaniawski Drama Theatre. Its website runs the current repertoire, online ticket sales and a separate Accessible Theatre section for people with disabilities.

Where in the region can you see theatre with a history?

The oldest addresses from the attraction cards are buildings a hundred years old and more. The Wrocław Opera on Świdnicka Street is a historic building adapted for opera and ballet, rebuilt after two fires. Next to it stands the Wrocław Puppet Theatre, and both theatres neighbour Teatralny Square, which links Świdnicka Street with Teatralna Street.

In the west of the region choose the Cyprian Kamil Norwid Theatre in Jelenia Góra: it is one of the oldest working drama theatres in Lower Silesia, housed in an Art Nouveau building at the corner of Aleja Wojska Polskiego and Sudecka Street. Świdnica has the Świdnica Centre of Culture with a performance hall on the Market Square and the Bolko Club, and on Plac Teatralny in Wałbrzych stand a theatre, an amphitheatre and a sports hall. The description of this square also mentions summer concerts and open-air film screenings.

It is worth knowing that the former railway station Wrocław Świebodzki is today also the seat of a theatre. If you like places with an unusual past, a performance in such an interior can make a better evening than a classic auditorium.

What is the difference between a public and a private theatre?

A public theatre is run by a local authority, a private one by an owner. In practice you see it in how tickets are sold and in the repertoire. The Polish Theatre is a municipal cultural institution that runs several stages, while private companies such as the Komedia Theatre or Ad Spectatores build their own offer and sales channels.

Ad Spectatores sells tickets and theatre vouchers that can be used as a gift for a chosen performance. The theatre publishes its repertoire in a newsletter and on social media, so if you are looking for a small company with no stage of its own, start from the calendar and check the details with the organiser.

Accessible and integrative theatre

If you are planning a visit with a person with a disability, look for theatres that say so openly. Arka Theatre has been an integrative theatre since its beginning, and the Drama Theatre in Wałbrzych runs a separate Accessible Theatre section with information for people with disabilities. The Theatre Museum on Plac Wolności is adapted for people with disabilities.

In other places you will find information on accessibility in the event description or on the venue's website. Ask the organiser in advance if you need a particular place in the auditorium or an entrance without steps. When travelling to small towns, check this separately for every hall.

How do you plan an evening at the theatre from start to end?

Start by choosing a town and a stage, then buy a ticket, and finally pick something for the earlier part of the afternoon. In central Wrocław all the theatres with attraction cards are close to each other: the Opera, the Puppet Theatre and the Komedia Theatre neighbour Teatralny Square, and Arka Theatre on Mennicza Street is not far from the Market Square and the Town Hall.

The Pantomime Theatre is further from the centre, on Aleja Dębowa in Borek, so leave yourself more time to get there. In smaller towns check whether the hall is in a culture centre, a cinema-theatre or a hotel, because it affects entry, the cloakroom and the journey. Before you set off, open the event card and write down the name of the hall, not only the town.

If you return home late, plan your way back before you pick the performance. Some halls lie off the main routes, and the calendar does not show timetables. A good time for sightseeing is the afternoon before the evening: the Theatre Museum in the very centre of Wrocław keeps a collection of theatre puppets from different parts of the world, among others from Japan, Mexico and Australia.

How do you buy a ticket for a play?

On the event card click Buy ticket. The button leads to the ticketing service KupBilecik or Bilety24, where you choose seats and pay. Some theatres also sell tickets themselves, through their own booking system or at the box office, so if something does not match, check the theatre's website.

The calendar is fed by an import from these two services, run every night, and by submissions from organisers. Pay attention to the name of the stage and the hall, because the same company may play in several places. Before travelling to another town, confirm the date with the organiser.

Theatre with children and for children

Families should start with puppet and animation theatres and with the separate list of events for children. Animated and family shows play, among others, at the Zdrojowy Animation Theatre in Jelenia Góra, and the Wrocław Puppet Theatre runs a repertoire aimed at children, young people and adults.

Before buying tickets, check in the event description which age group the performance is for. The organiser gives that information, and in puppet theatres part of the shows is aimed at older audiences.

Frequently asked questions

Where in Wrocław can I see a drama?

Start with the Wrocław Contemporary Theatre (the Main Stage or the Attic Stage) and with the Polish Theatre, which plays on three stages. Current dates are in the calendar.

Can I buy a ticket online?

Yes. The Buy ticket button on the event card leads to KupBilecik or Bilety24. Some theatres, such as the Drama Theatre in Wałbrzych, also have their own online sales.

Which theatre should I choose with a child?

Preferably a puppet or animation theatre: the Wrocław Puppet Theatre or the Zdrojowy Animation Theatre in Jelenia Góra. Always check the recommended age in the description.

Does theatre also play in smaller towns?

Yes. Performances appear in culture centres and on stages in Legnica, Lubin, Kłodzko, Oława, Bolesławiec, Głogów and many other towns.

How can I check which hall a play is in?

The name of the stage is given next to the event. If the theatre has several halls, for example a Main Stage and an Attic Stage, compare it with the address on the card.