FA - Princess upside-down +size

Wilam Horzyca Theatre in Toruń

Pedro Calderon de la Barca

Upside Down Princess

Imitation: Jarosław Marek Rymkiewicz

Directed by: Paweł Aigner

Set design and costumes: Magdalena Gajewska

Music: Piotr Klimek

Fencing: Rafał Domagała

Inspector: Izabela Smużny

Premiere: June 29, 2025

Duration: 160 min. (with a break)

Cast: Aurora Lipartowska (Diana, Princess of Mantua — guest), Igor Tajchman (Roberto, son of the Duke of Parma), Julia Sobiesiak-Borucka (Flora, nephew of the Duke of Parma), Wojciech Jaworski (Fisberto, Duke of Milan), Jarosław Felczykowski (Prince of Parma), Michał Wolny (Lisardo, Robert's servant — guest), Paweł Kowalski (Fabio, gardener), Matilda Podfilipska (Laura, Diana's servant), Matilda Podfilipska (Silvia, Flora's servant), Grzegorz Wiśniewski (Majordomus), Izabela Baran (Gileta — guest), Arkadiusz Walesiak (Perote), Anioły Kupoli Dine: Piotr Drost, Tomasz Węgierski, Patryk Weredycki, Radek Szura

A crazy kaleidoscope of comedic events

Born in the 17th century, Pedro Calderón de la Barca is a poet and playwright who is counted among the most outstanding representatives of the Golden Age of Spain. He is the author of many dramatic plays, created at the time of the transformation of theatrical forms and genre experiments, the most famous of which is “Life is a Dream”.

The creator of daring staging of classical texts Paweł Aigner undertook the direction of “Princesses on the Upside Down” de la Barca. This is how a crazy dream-love drama was created under the sign of “cloak and sword”. The lightning-fast pace of events, comical misunderstandings, excruciating passions, fainting, revenge, duels, fights, escapes, driving — all in one performance! The audience is waiting for a surprising story, full of unexpected twists: its heroes can not stop, and the world rushes along with them. What happens when everything is the other way around, life seems like a dream and death a salvation? Or is it exactly the other way around? We invite you to immerse yourself in this story, which will amuse you to tears and at the same time subtly lead to questions of a philosophical nature.

“The show is so stunning with the pace of the action, the incredible colorfully costumed kaleidoscope, the spatial lightness of the Mediterranean architecture, the conversational sounds of the harpsichord, the frantic pace of the action and, above all, the multidimensional humor that it becomes a unique setting for a grandmaster acting game. A game in which the audience can also find their love quarrels, the thrills of the heart, in which the actors give the chance to identify with the experiences of the stage characters, as well as to be someone else not only in their dreams, but also in real life. And in the intensity of incredible energy, flowing from the stage towards the audience, contributes not only the talent of de la Barka, but also his youthful turbulent life. Who knows how many of his own experiences he embodied in the full splendor and frenetic pace of life of the Dukes of Parma and Mantua, and their families and courtiers.

Ilona Słojewska on “The Princess Upside Down”

ATTENTION! Content warnings: gunshot, betrayal, nudity in one of the scenes.