Fasada Teatru Syrena
Photo: Katarzyna Chmura

The idea behind the “Eco Syrena” program is simple: we use less energy, recycle waste, and use recycled materials during production. We feel responsible for the place in which we work and create.

We all want to be ecological: actresses and actors, wardrobe assistants and set designers, administrative staff, and the staff working in the Syrena Bistro. We also encourage our audience to be ecological. In our theatre, just like at home: we recycle waste; we turn off unnecessary lights; we limit the heating when we are not there; we print double-sided etc.

In the course of the 80 years of our theatre’s history, we have created countless set designs, stage props and costumes. When a play ends its run, we never say goodbye to them. Instead, we keep everything in our theatre storeroom, where it waits until… it can appear once again on our stage.

Tomek Jacyków, the fashion and costume designer who often collaborates with our theatre, is a master of fashion recycling. He visits our storerooms not only to dress actors (“Rock of Ages”, “Battle for the Throne”, and “Matilda”). Jacyków also dresses members of our audience. Together with Syrena’s seamstress, Anna Wardzyńska, he cut, sewed, shortened and lengthened old costumes, thus creating two fashion collections signed with the label “Tomek Jacyków for the Syrena Theatre” – the first one in spring, the second in fall of 2020. All of the proceeds are used to finance new productions in our theatre. When working on new costumes, Jacyków also uses materials and clothes found in thrift stores, which he later redesigns. This spirit of “zero waste” is very close to us.  

Another artist who also utilizes old costumes and stage props is the director Joanna Drozda, who has worked in the Syrena Theatre on a number of projects, including a cycle of improvised crime plays titled “The Murderer is Among Us”, the film “Hello Syrena, or, the premiere will take place” (available to view for free on YouTube), the plays “Legs of the Siren” and “Legends from Warsaw”, as well as the musical “Piplaja”.

In our theatre’s programme, we offer two ecological fairy tales for our youngest audience, which were written and directed by Agnieszka Rose: “Little Alga and Eco-Syrena team” and “Eco-Team. Mission E-Waste”. The set design of the first was created entirely from unnecessary items from our storeroom (for instance, we used a horizon taken from a play from 20 years ago). Both fairy tales were created in collaboration with companies from the waste recovery and processing industry (Rekopol Organizacja Odzysku Opakowań S.A. and ElektroEko Organizacji Odzysku Sprzętu Elektrycznego i Elektronicznego S.A).

We also use recycled materials in workshops and theatre lessons conducted by Paulina Huczyńska.

The restaurant Syrena Bistro orders products from local suppliers, e.g. serves eggs from free-range hens, and its seasonal menu is arranged according to the seasons and products available at a given time.

We encourage our audience to travel to our theatre using public transport, which is easier because of the localization of our theatre in the centre of Warsaw. There is also a public bike rental station next to our building, and private two-wheelers can be attached to the racks in front of the entrance.

The Syrena Theatre is a member in the „Kultura dla klimatu” initiative.

Tomasz Jacyków (on left) and Krzysztof Broda-Żurawski during the photo session of the “Tomek Jacyków for the Syrena Theatre” collection (Photo: Michał Heller)
Glonuś i drużyna Eko-Syreny
Ecological fairy tale “Little Alga and Eco-Syrena team” (Photo: Julia Pietrzak)