ANDRZEJ
CHYRA
Born in 1964. He is a theatrical and film actor. He studied at the
National Academy of Theatre in Warsaw at the Faculty of Acting and
the Faculty of Direction. He performed in the Rampa Theatre in Warsaw
and in the Scene Presentations Theatre (Teatr Scena Prezentacje) in
Mart Crowley's DICREET CHARM OF FAUNS directed by Romuald Szejd (1992).
In the Scene Presentations Theatre, he also performed in Francois
Sagan's FAINTED HORSE, Willis Hall's and Keith Waterhouse's BILLY
THE LIAR and in the evening of French song entitled LIFE IN PINK.
He played in the National Theatre in Wyspianski's NIGHT OF NOVEMBER
staged in 1997. Chyra also made some attempts in the field of direction.
He staged THE HISTORY OF ALCOHOLISM IN POLAND (1994) in the Old Powder
Magazine Theatre (Teatr Stara Prochownia) and Katarzyna Grochala's
TO BITE THROUGH THE EARTHWORM at the Upstairs Stage (Scena Na Pietrze)
in Poznan. One year later, he staged Harold Pinter's LOVER at the
Centre of Culture Theatre (Centrum Kultury Teatr) in Grudziadz.
As an actor he became recognisable thanks to a secondary role in Krzysztof
Krauze's film THE DEBT, where he played the demoniac Gerard blackmailing
two young businessmen. He also starred in Radoslaw Piwowarski's ORDER
OF EMOTIONS, Krauze's GREAT THINGS, Juliusz Machulski's MONEY IS NOT
ALL and in the low-budget CAULLIFLOWERR by Jacek Borcuch.
Successful in cinema, Chyra returned to the theatre. "I
have always treated the theatre as a place where the actor knows his
highest fulfilment. I think that when one gets an interesting theatrical
proposal it is a professional obligation to accept it.",
he explained before the premiere of Gorki's BARBARIANS, prepared by
Agnieszka Glinska in the Contemporary Theatre (Teatr Wspolczesny)
in Warsaw.
"Andrzej Chyra was excellent in the role
of engineer Czerkun, with the 'torch red' hair, as courageous and
uncompromising as ruthless", wrote the reviewer of "Rzeczpospolita
Daily". Soon, Chyra confirmed his excellent disposition playing Dionysus
in Eurypides' BACCHANTES staged at the Variety Theatre and in the
role of Chrisitan in Thomas Viterberg's and Morgens Rukov's CELEBRATION
directed by Grzegorz Jarzyna.
"Andrzej Chyra's Dionysus emanates with uncontrolled
power, hidden under the grotesque disguise. He is a fitful boy, who
asked about the Dionisian rituals, answers in the tone meaning: I
know, but I won't tell. But in the beginning of the show there is
no boy, there is an animal; Chyra is standing back to the audience
and says the prologue gabbling like if he was only about to learn
to speak. The magnetic force of Dionysus attracts even his greatest
enemy, Penteus (Jacek Poniedziałek). Penteus is ready to put a female
disguise and crawl in dirt to make Dionysus show him the secret rituals.
Their struggle is like a love embrace. In this play, Chyra is a demon
leading to ruin, I would rather not meet him on my way."
(Roman Pawlowski, "Gazeta Wyborcza Daily").
Most important awards:
1999 - the award for the best actor in THE DEBT at the 24th Polish
Feature Films Festival in Gdansk
2000 - the Polish Eagle for the best secondary male role in THE DEBT
