Play
duologue
Political Drama
2 Characters

The Polish Question

from Squaring the Circle

Written by Tom Stoppard

A Witness uses bread rolls on a cafe table to provide a cynical and rapid-fire history of Poland's shifting borders and partitions. The Narrator observes and occasionally interjects as the Witness illustrates how the country was repeatedly dismantled and reclaimed by neighboring powers leading up to 1945.

Scene PreviewExcerpt — subscribe to read full scene

WITNESS: All right, 1720 but no later. You won't understand Poland's attitude to Russia until you understand some Polish history. This won't take long.

NARRATOR: I hope not.

WITNESS: Nobody except the Poles remembers that for 300 years this was the biggest and freest country in Middle-Europe, spanni

Scene Preview

Unlock the full scene

Sign up free to preview, Go Pro to read full scenes

Sign Up Free

Create a free account to explore more

Upgrade to Pro for full access — £6.99/month

Director's Notes

🎯 Character objectives🎭 Emotional beats💡 Audition tips
Unlock Director's Notes
Get Feedback
Coming Soon

Want expert coaching on this scene?

Browse our curated list of acting coaches, dialect specialists, and more.

Find a Coach

Need representation?

Browse verified agents and casting directors in our directory.

How well does this scene match you?

Save your casting profile to see match scores on every scene.

Try Headshot Analyser
CharactersNarrator, Witness
Duration00:04:00
Age Rangeany & any
Gendermale & male
GenrePolitical Drama
PeriodContemporary
Formatduologue
SourceSquaring the Circle
ToneInformative, Wry, Historical
AccentPolish
Suitable Fordrama school audition, agent showcase, self tape, general practice
No ratings yet
Sign in to rate
Rehearse with AI Reader
Self-Tape Challenge
Coming Soon

Go Pro

£6.99/mo

  • ✓ Unlimited scene reading
  • ✓ PDF downloads
  • ✓ Director's Notes
  • ✓ Headshot Analyser
  • ✓ Cover Letter Generator
  • ✓ Practice Mode
  • ✓ Agent Connect
  • + 1,000+ scenes
Upgrade Now

More from Squaring the Circle

Play
duologue

The Impossible Demands

from Squaring the Circle

A high-stakes political confrontation between Deputy Prime Minister Rakowski and union leader Lech Walesa during the Polish crisis. Rakowski uses the threat of Soviet intervention to pressure Walesa into calling off a general strike, while Walesa demands accountability for police brutality against citizens.

200:02:30
Play
duologue

The Burden of Leadership — Squaring the Circle

from Squaring the Circle

Kania, the First Secretary of the Polish United Workers' Party, vents his frustrations regarding the impossible political landscape of 1980s Poland. He balances the conflicting pressures of the Soviet Union, the United States, the Catholic Church, and his own fractured party while struggling to maintain order amidst rising trade unions.

22 min

Similar Scenes