Anna Volska

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.

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 subsequently spent three seasons with the Royal Shakespeare Company. 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.

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 Rubinstein. 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 YearTitleRoleType 1968 A Midsummer Night's Dream Attendant Feature 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 in the Gallery TV film series, 1 episode 1982 A Most Attractive Man Vija TV film 1986 The Three Musketeers Voice Animated TV film 1987 The Everlasting Secret Family Wife's Friend Feature film 1992 Six Pack: Death Duties Elsa TV film series 1996 Fistful of Flies Nanna Feature film 2010 Sisters of War Sister Cordula TV film

Television YearTitleRoleType 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 Rubinstein TV series, episode "Helena Rubinstein" 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 YearTitleRoleType 1963 The Cherry Orchard UNSW with Old Tote Theatre Company 1963 The Bald Prima Donna UNSW with Old Tote Theatre Company 1964 The Caucasian Chalk Circle UNSW with Old Tote Theatre Company 1964 King Henry V Katherine Tent Theatre, Adelaide, Tent Theatre, Rushcutters Bay 1965 A Series of Dance Pieces Dancer (Ballad of the Drover's Wife) UNSW Science Theatre 1970 The Love of Don Perlimplín and Belisa in the Garden AMP Theatrette 1970 Major Barbara Canberra Theatre, UNSW Parade Theatre with Old Tote Theatre Company 1970 The Prince and The Firebird UNSW Parade Theatre with Old Tote Theatre Company 1970 Biggles Nimrod Street Theatre with Old Tote Theatre Company 1972 Measure for Measure Nimrod Street Theatre 1973 The Tooth of Crime Nimrod Street Theatre 1973 President Wilson in Paris Nimrod Street Theatre 1973 Hamlet Ophelia Nimrod Street Theatre, Pram Factory, Playhouse Canberra 1973 Tom Nimrod Street Theatre 1974 The Seagull Nimrod Upstairs 1974 Jesters Nimrod Street Theatre 1974 The Bacchoi Nimrod Upstairs 1975 The Ride Across Lake Constance Nimrod Theatre Company 1976 Le Chateau d'Hydro-Therapie Magnetique Jane Street Theatre 1976 A Handful of Friends Sally Marshall Nimrod Upstairs 1977 Twelfth Night Olivia Nimrod Upstairs 1977 Much Ado About Nothing Beatrice Nimrod Upstairs, Space Theatre, Adelaide 1978 Everyman Nimrod Downstairs 1978 The Comedy of Errors Courtesan Nimrod Upstairs 1979 Ubu Roi Ma Ubu ABC Radio Sydney 1979 A Night with Hamlet Eurydice ABC Radio Sydney 1979 Romeo and Juliet Lady Capulet Octagon Theatre, Perth, Nimrod Upstairs 1980 The Oresteia Old Person of Aros (Agamemnon) / Elektra (Elektra) / Fury (Orestes) Nimrod Upstairs 1980 A Month in the Country Natalya Petrovna Playhouse Adelaide with STCSA 1981 Three Sisters Olga Sergeyevna Prozorov Nimrod Upstairs 1981 Cloud Nine Mrs Saunders / Bill / Tammy Nimrod Upstairs 1981 Tales from the Vienna Woods Valerie Nimrod Upstairs 1982 Tristram Shandy Nimrod Upstairs 1983 Uncle Vanya Yelena Nimrod Theatre Company 1984 The Women of March the First Nimrod Downstairs 1984 Sydney Symphony - Sunday Afternoon Concert Musician Sydney Opera House 1985 Heartbreak House Sydney Opera House with Sydney Theatre Company 1985 Pack of Lies Barbara SGIO Theatre, Brisbane, with Queensland Theatre 1986 The Taming of the Shrew New Fortune Theatre, Perth 1986 Sons of Cain Nicole Suncorp Theatre, Brisbane, Wyndham's Theatre, London, with Queensland Theatre 1987 Siestas in a Pink Hotel Wharf Theatre with Sydney Theatre Company 1988 Interplay '88 Sydney Opera House 1988 Away Sydney Opera House with Sydney Theatre Company 1989 Say Goodbye to the Past Ilinka Stables Theatre, Sydney, with Griffin Theatre Company 1989 Lost Weekend Zelda Cremorne Theatre with Queensland Theatre 1990 The Odd Couple Renee Majestic Cinemas 1991-93 Hamlet Gertrude Australian national tour with Bell Shakespeare 1991-92 The Merchant of Venice Nerissa Australian national tour with Bell Shakespeare 1992-93 Richard III Queen Margaret Australian national tour with Bell Shakespeare 1993 Romeo and Juliet The Nurse Theatre Royal, Sydney, Melbourne Athenaeum, Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide, Canberra Theatre with Bell Shakespeare 1994 Macbeth Lady Macbeth Australian national tour with Bell Shakespeare 1995 Dead White Males Sarah Judd Sydney Opera House, Glen Street Theatre, Playhouse, Melbourne, His Majesty's Theatre, Perth with Melbourne Theatre Company & Sydney Theatre Company 1996 Much Ado About Nothing Beatrice Melbourne Athenaeum, Sydney Opera House, Canberra Theatre with Bell Shakespeare 1999 Henry V Montjoy Alice Melbourne Athenaeum, Playhouse Canberra, Sydney Opera House 2000 Dance of Death Alice Royalty Theatre, Adelaide, Theatre X, Tokyo, Geijutsu Theatre,, Nagoya, Playhouse Canberra with Bell Shakespeare & STCSA 2000 A Month in the Country Natalya Sydney Opera House with Sydney Theatre Company 2002 Hippolytus Government House Ballroom, Sydney with Bell Shakespeare 2002 Richard III Queen Elizabeth Sydney Opera House, Playhouse, Canberra, Playhouse, Melbourne with Bell Shakespeare & Queensland Theatre 2002 The Comedy of Errors Emilia Playhouse, Canberra, Ford Theatre, Geelong, Playhouse, Melbourne, Riverside Theatres, Parramatta, Orange Civic Theatre, IMB Theatre Wollongong with Bell Shakespeare 2006 The Comedy of Errors Theatre Royal, Bath, Blackpool Grand Theatre with Bell Shakespeare 2014 Unholy Ghosts The Mother Stables Theatre, Sydney, with Griffin Theatre Company 2015 Seventeen Edwina Belvoir Theatre Company 2016 Antigone Tiresias Seymour Centre, Playhouse Canberra, Riverside Theatres Parramatta with Sport for Jove

As director YearTitleRoleType 1981 We Can't Pay? We Won't Pay! Director Troupe Theatre, Adelaide with STCSA 1981 Liquids Director Troupe Theatre, Adelaide with STCSA 1982 Demolition Job Director Nimrod Downstairs 1982 Burn Victim Writer Nimrod Downstairs 1982 Flash Jim Director Nimrod Upstairs 1983 As You Like It Director Nimrod Theatre Company 2001 Don's Party Director Western Sydney University, Seymour Centre 2004 A Midsummer Night's Dream Director Riverside Theatres Parramatta, Monash University, Whitehorse Centre, Frankston Arts Centre with Bell Shakespeare 2006 The Merchant of Venice Director Australian national tour with Bell Shakespeare 2019 Diplomacy Director, Assistant Ensemble Theatre

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

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.