Anna Volska
Born (1944-12-01) 1 December 1944
Milanówek, Poland
OccupationActress
Years active1965–present
SpouseJohn Bell AO OBE
ChildrenLucy Bell, Hilary Bell
Awards1 (naacp image)

Anna Volska (born 1 December 1944 in Milanówek, Poland) is an Australian stage and television actress. She arrived in Australia when she was young and has acted from a young age.

Early life

Anna Volska moved from Poland to Australia with her mother when she was seven. She graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA)in 1962. [1]

Career

Theatre

Volska has acted extensively in theatre as an actor, director and teacher. While performing in The Cherry Orchard at the Old Tote Theatre Company, Volska met fellow cast member John Bell. She followed his career to the UK, where they married in 1965, and she subsequenfly spent three seasons with the Royal Shakespeare Company.[2] They returned to Australia in 1970 and founded the Nimrod Theatre Company at Stables Theatre (which later became the Belvoir Theatre Company). In 1990 Bell and Volska then founded Bell Shakespeare Company. She has also directed at Flinders, Theatre Nepean, QUT, Nimrod.[3]

Television

Volska has appeared in many Australian television drama series, mostly in a guest role. Her first role was in 1965, where she had a small role in The Recruiting Officer. In 1973, Volska had a leading role in Behind the Legend, where she played Helena Rubenstein. She then appeared on A Country Practice from 1987 until 1991. In 2009, she had a recurring role in the final season of All Saints as Katerina Ajanovic. In 2010, Volska appeared in the telemovie Sisters of War playing the role of Sister Cordula.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Type
1968A Midsummer Night's DreamAttendantFeature film
1974 The Hotline TV film
1977 Say You Want Me Magazine Journalist TV film
1977 Cass TV film
1978 The Magic Arts Herself Documentary film short
1980 The Girl Who Met Simone de Beauvoir In Paris Film short
1980 Players to the Gallery TV film series, 1 episode
1982 A Most Attractive Man Vija TV film
1986 The Three Musketeers Voice Animated TV film
1987The Everlasting Secret FamilyWife's FriendFeature film
1992 Six Pack: Death Duties Elsa TV film series
1996Fistful of FliesNannaFeature film
2010 Sisters of War Sister Cordula TV film

Television

Year Title Role Type
1962 My Three Friends Marie-Louise Teleplay
1963 The Right Thing Emma Teleplay
1965 The Recruiting Officer Sylvia Teleplay
1971 Spyforce The Countess TV series, episode 11: "The Countess"
1971-72 The Godfathers Maria Varga TV series, 72 episodes
1972 Behind the Legend Helena Rubenstein TV series, episode "Helena Rubenstein"
1973 The 15th Annual TV Week Logie Awards Herself TV special
1973 Division 4 Viv Jackson TV series, 1 episode
1973 Ryan Melina Jaconelli TV series, 1 episode
1973 Matlock Police Helen TV series, 1 episode
1974 Hamlet Teleplay
1979 The Restless Years Recurring role TV series
1980 The Timeless Land Sara TV miniseries, 2 episodes
1980 A Toast to Melba Nellie Melba Teleplay
1981 A Town Like Alice Sally Wilson-Hayes TV miniseries, 2 episodes
1982 Sara Dane Madam Balvet TV miniseries, 2 episodes
1987; 1991 A Country Practice Olivia Harrison TV series, 2 episodes
1988 Rafferty's Rules Frieda TV series, 1 episode
1991 Boys from the Bush Joan TV series, 1 episode
1991 Embassy Madame Lamotte TV series, 1 episode
1991 A Country Practice Annette Muir TV series, 2 episodes
1994 Good Morning Australia Guest TV series, 1 episode
1994 Midday Guest (with John Bell) TV series, 1 episode
1994 Ernie and Denise Guest (with John Bell) TV series, 1 episode
1994 Sale of the Century: The Arts Contestant TV series, 1 episode
1995 G.P. TV series, 1 episode
1996 Midday Guest (with John Bell) TV series, 1 episode
1997 Heartbreak High Aunty Magda TV series, 1 episode
1997 Water Rats Kath Lambert TV series, 1 episode
1998 The Search For Treasure Island Frau Keller TV series, 9 episodes
2000 Murder Call Gillian Pitman TV series, 1 episode
2001 Burke's Backyard Celebrity gardener (with John Bell & Lucy Bell) TV series, 1 episode
2009 All Saints Katerina Ajanovic TV series, 1 episode
2013 Dance Academy Lady Charlton TV series, 1 episode
2014 A Place to Call Home Leah TV series, 1 episode
2016 John Bell: One Man Show Herself TV special

Theatre

As actor

Year Title Role Type
1963The Cherry OrchardUNSW with Old Tote Theatre Company
1963The Bald Prima DonnaUNSW with Old Tote Theatre Company
1964The Caucasian Chalk CircleUNSW with Old Tote Theatre Company
1964King Henry VKatherineTent Theatre, Adelaide, Tent Theatre, Rushcutters Bay
1965A Series of Dance PiecesDancer (Ballad of the Drover's Wife) UNSW Science Theatre
1970The Love of Don Perlimplín and Belisa in the GardenAMP Theatrette
1970Major BarbaraCanberra Theatre, UNSW Parade Theatre with Old Tote Theatre Company
1970The Prince and The FirebirdUNSW Parade Theatre with Old Tote Theatre Company
1970BigglesNimrod Street Theatre with Old Tote Theatre Company
1972Measure for MeasureNimrod Street Theatre
1973The Tooth of CrimeNimrod Street Theatre
1973President Wilson in ParisNimrod Street Theatre
1973HamletOpheliaNimrod Street Theatre, Pram Factory, Playhouse Canberra
1973TomNimrod Street Theatre
1974The SeagullNimrod Upstairs
1974JestersNimrod Street Theatre
1974The BacchoiNimrod Upstairs
1975The Ride Across Lake ConstanceNimrod Theatre Company
1976Le Chateau d'Hydro-Therapie MagnetiqueJane Street Theatre
1976A Handful of FriendsSally MarshallNimrod Upstairs
1977Twelfth NightOliviaNimrod Upstairs
1977Much Ado About NothingBeatriceNimrod Upstairs, Space Theatre, Adelaide
1978EverymanNimrod Downstairs
1978The Comedy of ErrorsCourtesanNimrod Upstairs
1979Ubu RoiMa UbuABC Radio, Sydney
1979A Night with HamletEurydiceABC Radio, Sydney
1979Romeo and JulietLady CapuletOctagon Theatre, Perth, Nimrod Upstairs
1980The OresteiaOld Person of Aros (Agamemnon) / Elektra (Elektra) / Fury (Orestes) Nimrod Upstairs
1980A Month in the CountryNatalya PetrovnaPlayhouse Adelaide with STSCA
1981Three SistersOlga Sergeyevna ProzorovNimrod Upstairs
1981Cloud NineMrs Saunders / Bill / TammyNimrod Upstairs
1981Tales from the Vienna WoodsValerieNimrod Upstairs
1982Tristram ShandyNimrod Upstairs
1983Uncle VanyaYelenaNimrod Theatre Company
1984The Women of March the FirstNimrod Downstairs
1984Sydney Symphony - Sunday Afternoon ConcertMusicianSydney Opera House
1985Heartbreak HouseSydney Opera House with Sydney Theatre Company
1985Pack of LiesBarbaraSGIO Theatre, Brisbane with Queensland Theatre
1986The Taming of the ShrewNew Fortune Theatre, Perth
1986Sons of CainNicoleSuncorp Theatre, Brisbane, Wyndham's Theatre, London with Queensland Theatre
1987Siestas in a Pink HotelWharf Theatre with Sydney Theatre Company
1988Interplay '88Sydney Opera House
1988AwaySydney Opera House with Sydney Theatre Company
1989Say Goodbye to the PastIlinkaStables Theatre with Griffin Theatre Company
1989Lost WeekendZeldaCremorne Theatre with Queensland Theatre
1990The Odd CoupleReneeMajestic Cinemas
1991-93HamletGertrudeAustralian national tour with Bell Shakespeare
1991-92The Merchant of VeniceNerissaAustralian national tour with Bell Shakespeare
1992-93Richard IIIQueen MargaretAustralian national tour with Bell Shakespeare
1993Romeo and JulietThe NurseTheatre Royal, Sydney, Melbourne Athenaeum, Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide, Canberra Theatre with Bell Shakespeare
1994MacbethLady MacbethAustralian national tour with Bell Shakespeare
1995Dead White MalesSarah JuddSydney Opera House, Glen Street Theatre, Playhouse, Melbourne, His Majesty's Theatre, Perth with Melbourne Theatre Company & Sydney Theatre Company
1996Much Ado About NothingBeatriceMelbourne Athenaeum, Sydney Opera House, Canberra Theatre with Bell Shakespeare
1999Henry VMontjoy AliceMelbourne Athenaeum, Playhouse Canberra, Sydney Opera House
2000Dance of DeathAliceRoyalty Theatre, Adelaide, Theatre X, Tokyo, Geijutsu Theatre,, Nagoya, Playhouse Canberra with Bell Shakespeare & STSCA
2000A Month in the CountryNatalyaSydney Opera House with Sydney Theatre Company
2002HippolytusGovernment House Ballroom, Sydney with Bell Shakespeare
2002Richard IIIQueen ElizabethSydney Opera House, Playhouse, Canberra, Playhouse, Melbourne with Bell Shakespeare & Queensland Theatre
2002The Comedy of ErrorsEmiliaPlayhouse, Canberra, Ford Theatre, Geelong, Playhouse, Melbourne, Riverside Theatres, Parramatta, Orange Civic Theatre, IMB Theatre Wollongong with Bell Shakespeare
2006The Comedy of ErrorsTheatre Royal, Bath, Blackpool Grand Theatre with Bell Shakespeare
2014Unholy GhostsThe MotherStables Theatre with Griffin Theatre Company
2015SeventeenEdwinaBelvoir Theatre Company[4]
2016AntigoneTiresiasSeymour Centre, Playhouse Canberra, Riverside Theatres Paramatta with Sport for Jove

As director

Year Title Role Type
1981We Can't Pay? We Won't Pay!DirectorTroupe Theatre, Adelaide with STCSA
1981LiquidsDirectorTroupe Theatre, Adelaide with STCSA
1982Demolition JobDirectorNimrod Downstairs
1982Burn VictimWriterNimrod Downstairs
1982Flash JimDirectorNimrod Upstairs
1983As You Like ItDirectorNimrod Theatre Company
2001Don's PartyDirectorWestern Sydney University, Seymour Centre
2004A Midsummer Night's DreamDirectorRiverside Theatres Parramatta, Monash University, Whitehorse Centre, Frankston Arts Centre with Bell Shakespeare
2006The Merchant of VeniceDirectorAustralian national tour with Bell Shakespeare
2019DiplomacyDirector, AssistantEnsemble Theatre

[5]

Awards

Volska won a Best Single Performance by an Actress award at the 1973 Logie Awards for her role in Behind the Legend.[6]

Personal life

Volska has been married to fellow Thespian John Bell since 1965. Their daughters are playwright Hilary Bell and actor Lucy Bell, who were both born in Stratford-upon-Avon.

References

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