The Police by Mrożek is a quintessential example of the Theater of the Absurd, a style that embraces the bizarre and often nonsensical aspects of human existence. This play is infused with cartoonlike characters, a nod to Mrożek’s beginnings as a newspaper cartoonist, and features cliché-laden dialogue reminiscent of Eugène Ionesco’s works. The influence of Alfred Jarry is also evident, particularly his play Ubu roi, which set the stage for anti-illusionist theater and shares its Polish backdrop with Mrożek’s creation.

In true anti-illusionist fashion, Mrożek crafts a fictional country marked by grotesquely exaggerated elements of Polish society. He cautions in a production note that, “this play does not contain anything except what it actually contains. This means that it is not an allusion to anything, it is not a metaphor, and it should not be read as such.” Despite this disclaimer, the play’s striking parallels to life in Cold War Poland are inescapable, largely due to Mrożek’s ironic warning itself, which invites audiences to discern symbolic connections.

The setting of The Police is deliberately ambiguous, with the nation remaining unnamed and ruled by an Infant King and his uncle, the Regent, who exist only through their portraits in government offices. Characters are stripped of personal names and are instead identified by their roles or occupations, effectively distancing them from any specific national identity. The police officers, with their mustaches, jackboots, swords, and high collars, evoke a distinct, albeit distorted, image of authority. Similarly, the Prisoner, sporting a "pointed beard like those of nineteenth-century progressives," adds to the caricature-like atmosphere.

The resulting world is Kafkaesque—a liminal, surreal space that is as nightmarish as it is absurd. Mrożek’s play exploits comic devices typical of absurdist theater, yet it veers away from conventional comedy. Unlike traditional narratives, The Police offers no resolution or restoration of harmony, leaving the audience to grapple with the unsettling realities of a grotesque bureaucracy that is both menacing and laughable. In this way, Mrożek’s work remains a poignant reflection of societal absurdities, captured through the lens of dark humor and satirical critique.