The University of Warsaw’s history is also shaped by a rich heritage of student culture. This tradition was celebrated in a performance by the UW Hybrydy Theatre, which opened a special series of performances by the University’s artistic ensembles to mark its 210th anniversary.
A series of events showcasing the cultural achievements of the University community forms an important part of the celebrations marking the 210th anniversary of the University of Warsaw. The series began on 22nd October with a performance by the UW Hybrydy Theatre entitled “Life Is a Theatre: Student Culture at the University of Warsaw.”
The event took place in the Auditorium Building on the UW Main Campus. The audience was welcomed by Prof. Ewa Krogulec, UW Vice-Rector for Development:
“Today, we are inaugurating a special series of performances by the University of Warsaw’s artistic ensembles as part of our anniversary celebrations. This is a unique opportunity to celebrate the rich traditions of our University and to demonstrate that UW is not only a centre for education and research, but also an important hub of cultural life, enriching Warsaw and Poland as a whole.”
The performance celebrated the work of artists associated with the Hybrydy Theatre and the wider University community. Songs by Jonasz Kofta, Wojciech Młynarski, Andrzej Kreczmar, Edward Stachura, Agnieszka Osiecka and Ernest Bryll were presented in new instrumental arrangements performed live.
The audience also heard compositions by musicians associated with the legendary Hot Club Hybrydy – regarded as the birthplace of modern Polish jazz – including Jerzy ‘Duduś’ Matuszkiewicz, Krzysztof Komeda, Andrzej Trzaskowski and Włodzimierz Nahorny. The programme also featured works by artists who helped shape the history of this creative community, including Urszula Dudziak, Wanda Warska, Ewa Bem and Wojciech Trzciński.
The theatrical elements of the performance were inspired by the writings of Stefania Grodzieńska and Julian Tuwim, the distinguished Polish poet and University of Warsaw alumnus.
University of Warsaw Hybrydy Theatre
Director: Maciej Dzięciołowski
The University of Warsaw’s Hybrydy Theatre is one of the oldest student theatre companies in Poland, with a history dating back to the late 1950s. Revived at the University of Warsaw in 2005, it continues the legacy of the legendary Hybrydy Theatre, founded in 1957, which helped launch the careers of such artists as Wojciech Młynarski, Jonasz Kofta, Urszula Dudziak and Krzysztof Komeda, among many others.
The company consists mainly of University of Warsaw students and doctoral candidates, who develop their artistic knowledge and skills through a year-long university-wide course. Its repertoire includes several hundred theatrical productions and concerts featuring works by leading Polish poets and playwrights, original musical compositions, light comedies, crime dramas, psychological dramas, poetry evenings and choreographic performances. The company is particularly known for its theatrical and musical productions exploring significant events in Polish history and society.
The Hybrydy Theatre has performed hundreds of times in Poland and abroad, appearing at theatres and cultural centres and participating in festivals and theatre showcases. It has received numerous awards and distinctions, including those it values most highly – audience awards.
In 2025, the company celebrated the 20th anniversary of its revival at the University of Warsaw, as well as 65 years of the Student Hybrydy Theatre’s presence in Warsaw’s academic and cultural life. To mark the occasion, it received the Honorary Badge of Merit for Warsaw.
The theatre is directed by Maciej Dzięciołowski, a theatre director, actor, set designer and arts manager. He has received scholarships from the Polish Minister of Science and Higher Education, as well as awards for scriptwriting and directing at theatre festivals. He is a member of the Directors’ Section of the Polish Stage Artists Association (ZASP). He has also been awarded the Honorary Badge of Merit for Warsaw.