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

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

And children

Maja Amsterdamska – Pesel, Haskiel, Agata
Felicja Nizińska – Cyvka, Eva/Avacha
Antoni Bluszcz / Tymoteusz Czajka – 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