The Bagatela Theatre named after Tadeusz Boy-Żeleński is one of Krakow’s most recognisable cultural addresses. Its fate is a history of constant changes – both to its function and to the architectural coat of the corner building itself. The building was originally built as an entertainment stage, later it operated as a cinema, underwent various modernisations several times, and finally returned to its theatrical roots.
The Bagatela Theatre – origins and first layout
The creation of the theatre is linked to the initiative of Marian Dąbrowski, publisher of the “Ilustrowany Kurier Codzienny”. He wanted to create an entertainment stage in the spirit of Parisian theatres and cabarets. The design of the building at the corner of Karmelicka and Krupnicza Streets was prepared by the architect Janusz Zarzecki in 1918-1919, and the interior decoration was designed by the painter and decorator Henryk Uziembło. The small building received an elegant façade with cornices, abutments and tympanums. Its interior was in the Art Nouveau style, richly decorated with polychromes, stained glass, gilding and chandeliers. The auditorium seated around 800 people and the stage was relatively small and cramped. The whole had a luxurious feel and evoked Parisian designs, as envisaged by Marian Dąbrowski.
Fire of the Bagatela Theatre and reconstruction
Financial problems that arose in the mid-1920s led to the transformation of the Bagatela into a more profitable and commercial activity, the cinema. On the night of 6-7 April 1928, a fire broke out in the building, destroying the entire interior. During the reconstruction, designed by Stanisław Filipkowicz and Tadeusz Tombiński, most of the decorative elements were abandoned. The façade became simpler and the interior was given a uniform colour scheme and a more functional character. In the following years the building was adapted to its cinema function. In 1930, sound film projection equipment was introduced, and in 1938 modernisation was carried out, including the rebuilding of the lobby and the replacement of the seats with modern, upholstered ones. The Scala Cinema, as it was then called, was regarded as the most modern and elegant in pre-war Krakow.
Further activities and reconstruction of the Bagatela theatre
After World War II, the building served various theatrical institutions. In the 1940s, the Chamber Theatre operated here, followed by the National Theatre of the Young Spectator, and still later the Variety Theatre. In 1963, the building underwent a complete refurbishment in the spirit of modernism, during which the foundations were reinforced, the auditorium renovated and a modern revolving stage built. The façade was simplified and deprived of its 1920s ornamentation, with the addition of abstract ceramic decorations made at the Kamionka studio in Łysa Góra according to a design by Witold Skulicz. In 1970, the original name Bagatela was returned, and two years later the theatre was renamed after Tadeusz Boy-Żeleński. It was then that the neighbouring tenement house at 6 Karmelicka Street was adapted for the purposes of the theatre’s management.
Tadeusz Boy-Żeleński
Tadeusz Boy-Żeleński was an outstanding translator, writer and literary critic associated with Krakow. He was born in 1874 and initially worked as a doctor, but his greatest fame came with his literary and journalistic activities. He was the author of numerous columns in which he commented on social and moral life, and the author of translations of French literature, thanks to which the Polish reader could become familiar with the works of Molière, Balzac or Stendhal. Boy was a member of the Krakow cabaret Zielony Balonik (The Green Balloon) and one of the sharpest literary critics of his era. He was known for his commitment to social issues, including the fight for women’s rights and the secularity of public life. He died tragically in Lviv in 1941, shot by the Germans together with a group of Polish intellectuals.
Bagatela in 1929 and 2024. Photo: Museum of Krakow and Eugeniusz S./fotopolska.eu
Scene at Sarego Street
Bagatela’s continued and successive development also included new spaces. In 2004, an intimate stage with a rehearsal room and auditorium was opened in the building at 7 Józefa Sarego Street. This space was intended for smaller, more experimental productions created by young directors and playwrights. The theatre building on the corner of Karmelicka and Krupnicza Streets has still retained its 1960s appearance.
The Bagatela Theatre – architectural and cultural significance
Today, the Bagatela Theatre remains one of the most important theatres in Kraków. Its building, although rebuilt many times and deprived of its former Art Nouveau splendour, is an enduring element of the city. Its simple façades, enriched with ceramics, have already become a permanent feature of Krakow’s landscape. Bagatela has shaped the artistic life of the capital of Małopolska for over a century.
Source: bagatela.pl
Read also: Architecture in Poland | Kraków | Culture | Metamorphosis | Curiosities
