Opening Night: 12 November 2022
Author: Olga Tokarczuk
Title: The Books of Jacob
Original Title: Księgi Jakubowe
Director: Michał Zadara

Auditorium: Boguslawski Hall
Running time: 2 hours 50 min inculding one interval

The Books of Jacob

This is a staging of the most important novel by Polish Nobel Prize winner Olga Tokarczuk.

In the middle of the 18th century, in Podolia, Jacob Lejbowicz Frank proclaimed the new principles of the Jewish faith. For some, he was the Messiah. Others saw him as a heretic and sectarian. The story of Frank, abounding with extraordinary adventures, reveals the true image of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth – a country of many cultures and nationalities on the cusp of a new era. In the story, we can also see a reflection of today's reality, with its threats and hopes for a better design for the world.

direction, light design, video: Michał Zadara
stage adaptation: Barbara Wysocka, Michał Zadara
set design: Robert Rumas
costume design: Julia Kornacka
music: Justyna Skoczek, Michał Zadara

The performance uses excerpts from the following musical works: Queen of the Night aria from the The Magic Flute and 2 quintet in C Minor by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Symphony No. 7 in A Major by Ludwig van Beethoven, Passacaglia in C Minor by Johann Sebastian Bach, Mazurka Op. 50, No. 1 by Karol Szymanowski.

Cast:

Father Chmielowski, Shlomo, Emperor Bartłomiej Bobrowski
Haya, Princess of Lichtenstein Anna Grycewicz
Nahman Oskar Hamerski
Sobla, Maria Theresa Kinga Ilgner
Leyb, Messiah-Antichrist, Dembowski, Bishop Soltyk, Prior, Nuntius Mirosław Konarowski
Elisha Shorr, Priest Szembek, Watchman Roch  Waldemar Kownacki
Asher, Gershom, Captain Piotr Kramer
Wittel, Sheyndel Joanna Kwiatkowska-Zduń
Katarzyna Kossakowska, Gitla, Princess Kinsky Anna Lobedan
Hrycko, Nussen, Thomas Kacper Matula
Reb Mordke, Rapaport, Kossakowski Kamil Mrożek (till May 5, 2024), Hubert Łapacz (from June 22, 2024)
Jacob Frank Jerzy Radziwiłowicz, Henryk Simon
Hana, Sheyndel, Tekla Paulina Szostak
Baal Shem Tow, Pinkas, Kazimierz, Priest Pikulski Paweł Tołwiński
Cypa, Freyna, Eva Jezierzanska Magdalena Warzecha
Eva Frank, Elizabeth Druzbacka Marta Wągrocka (till May 30, 2023), Ewa Bukała (from September 12, 2023)
Yente Barbara Wysocka (guest actor) / Aleksandra Justa (from March 23, 2023)

musician, piano Justyna Skoczek (guest performer) / Michał Świechowski (guest performer; from September 28, 2024)

And children

Maja Amsterdamska – Pesel, Haskiel, Agata
Felicja Nizińska – Cyvka, Eva/Avacha
Antoni Bluszcz / Tymoteusz Czajka / Franciszek Krupowicz – Little Jacob Frank


Production team

  • director's assistants: Anna Grycewicz, Michał Świechowski
    set design's assistant: Anna Maria Macugowska
    costume designer's assistant: Martyna Cierpisz 
    stunt effects: Andrzej Słomiński
  • light technicians: Zbigniew Szulim, Bartłomiej Kaczalski, Krzysztof Łukasz Stefan
    • sound technicians: Marek Szymański, Hubert Majewski, Mariusz Maszewski
  • video projection: Mariusz Chałubek, Paweł Woźniak
  • stage manager: Katarzyna Kłosowska-Kobiałka
    prompter: Magdalena Markowska
  •  


Gallery

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Oskar Hamerski (Nahman), Anna Grycewicz (Haya), Kamil Mrożek (Moshek), Maja Amsterdamska (Haskiel), Bartłomiej Bobrowski (Moshe), Barbara Wysocka (Yente) and the Company. Phot. Krzysztof Bieliński


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