What bites Gilbert Grape

Folk Theatre in Cracow Peter Hedges

directed by Jakub Zalasa

Premiere on November 8, 2025. Theatre Institute of Youth/Chamber Stage

Endora — a small town where time has stopped and life passes on telling gossip. Gilbert Grape is 24 years old and carries a burden he did not choose: caring for a devouring mother and a brother with disabilities, working in a shop, having an affair with an elderly woman.

Seemingly serene and obligatory, inside it boils with longing for something else — love, freedom, the world beyond Endor.

On stage we will see a story about difficult choices, a sense of loneliness and stagnation.

But also about America — with its myth of success, colorful iconography and uncertain promises. Above all, it will be a story of love in the family. The one that grips, but at the same time releases.

It's okay everywhere, but at home...

Creators

Directed and adapted by Jakub Zalasa

Set design: Jakub Kotynia

Costumes: Julia Zawadzka

Music: Bartosz Dziadosz

Choreography: Martyna Dyląg

Inspector: Alicja Starzyk

Cast

MARCIN MAZUREK: Gilbert Grape

KAJETAN SŁUGOCKI/GUEST: Arnie Grapą

BEATA SCHIMSCHEINER: Bonnie Grape

DOROTA GOLJASZ: Becky

MACIEJ NAMYSŁO: Ken Carver

KATARZYNA TLAŁKA: Betty Carver

WOJCIECH LATO: Tucker

photo: Jeremi Astaszow

Duration of the performance: 140 min. with a break

DIRECTOR'S BIOGRAPHY

Jacob Zalasa:

year 2001, graduate of drama directing at the Faculty of Directing and

Dramaturgy of the AST in Cracow. Winner of the TR Debut Award and ZASP Awards

ZAiKS at the Young Directing Forum. He co-created the diploma play “Trilogy

Climatic” — shown in the sports hall of the University of Economics in

Cracow. He was an assistant on the productions of “Savannah Bay” (directed by Józef

Opalsky), “Blue. A play about drinking tea” (directed by Paweł Miśkiewicz), and

“One Long Day” (directed by Luk Perceval) at the National Old Theatre in

Cracow. In 2022, he made his debut with the play “Smolensk Late Night Show”

Kazimierz Dejmek Theatre Nowy in Łódź. Duet by Wera Makowskx

directed “sweet&romantic” at TR Warszawa. He also co-created

multisensory show “Metamorphosis” in collaboration with the Jaguar brand. He was

playwright of the play “Fight Club, or Men's Circles” directed by Marcel

Osowicki at the Polish Theatre in Bydgoszcz. In 2025, he directed

performances of “Moby Dick” at the Wrocław Pantomime Theatre and “Co gryzie

Gilbert Grape” at the People's Theatre.