Up to two times a piece

“Up to Twice a Play” is a bittersweet two-actor comedy by playwright Barry Creyton, who wrote it for his longtime friend, actress Noeline Brown, and himself. It premiered in September 1987 at the Ensamble Theatre in Sydney. The show won critical acclaim and took the hearts of viewers by storm, paving the way for art to success even beyond the borders of the continent. Already a year after its Australian premiere, it was transferred to the boards of the West End. To date, it has been translated and exhibited in 25 languages.

As the two main sources of inspiration for its creation, Creyton points to the dramas “Private Life” by Noël Coward and “Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf” by Edward Albe. “Up to twice the art” sparkles with daring dialogues, cut riposts, unfortunate cases and behaviors, framed in a playful tone. Under the guise of comedy, however, hides a touching story of two people who cannot live without each other and at the same time cannot live with each other.

It all started on a beautiful rainy day, during rush hour, on the streets of the West Side Highway. She drove into the back of his car, he started yelling at her, and then he invited her to dinner... Alexandra and George. Sophisticated, elegant, cultured, about forty. The former couple, 75% successful, according to Alexandra, or 50%, according to George, meet by chance in a restaurant, five years after the divorce. Innocent flirting leads to reckoning of the past, but it also becomes a new beginning for them. Do these two have a chance of reaching an agreement even if they answer the question with a question?

The director of the play “Do Two Times Art” is Anna Gryszczówna, for whom Woody Allen's film work became a rich source of inspiration. He will take the audience to the streets of New York with the help of Karolina Łucja Bramowicz, the author of the costume and set designs, Karolina Gębska, responsible for the light direction, and Michał Lamża, thanks to whom the standards of American jazz classics and entertainment music will sound from the stage in completely new arrangements. The songs will be performed live by a five-piece band led by Oleg Sznicar.

The main roles are played by Barbara Kurdej-Szatan and Michał Staszczak, known to the audience of the Krakow VARIETE Theater as Roxie Hart and Billy Flynn from the cult musical “Chicago” directed by Wojciech Kościelniak.

Premiere: January 21, 2023

Duration of the performance: 2 hours 10 minutes (1 break).

A performance with live music.

The show is staged with English subtitles.