MROZEK, SLAWOMIR

born June 26, 1930, Borzecin, near Krakw, Pol. Polish playwright noted for his subtle parody and stylized language. The son of a postman, Mrozek entered journalism as a cartoonist and author of short articles, the humour of which arose from the use of wordplay and grotesque situations. During the 1950s and '60s he became a prominent figure in Polish literature by virtue of his plays in the style of the Theatre of the Absurd; through these he evaded the rigours of Communist censorship. He left Poland in 1964 and thereafter lived in Paris, eventually becoming a French citizen. Six of his playsPolicja (1958; Police), Meczenstwo Piotra Oheya (1959; The Martyrdom of Peter Ohey), Na pelnym morzu (1961; Out at Sea), Karol (1962; Charlie), Zabawa (1963; The Party), and Czarowna noc (1963; Enchanted Night)were translated into English by Nicholas Bethell in Six Plays by Slawomir Mrozek (1967). The most successful of Mrozek's plays, produced in many Western countries, is Tango (1964). His later plays include Waclaw (1970; Vatzlav: A Play in 77 Scenes), Amor (1979; Cupid), Ambasador (1984; The Ambassador), and Emigranci (1974; The Emigrants).