# 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 subsequenfly 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 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 |
| 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

| 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 |
| 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 STSCA |
| 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 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 & STSCA |
| 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 with Griffin Theatre Company |
| 2015 | Seventeen | Edwina | Belvoir Theatre Company |
| 2016 | Antigone | Tiresias | Seymour Centre, Playhouse Canberra, Riverside Theatres Paramatta with Sport for Jove |

### As director

| Year | Title | Role | Type |
| 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.