Mateusz
Pakuła

writer and theatre director

Born in 1983 in Kielce, writer, director, author of dozens of plays, playwright, adaptor and creator of radio plays.

A graduate in drama from the Department of Drama Direction at the Academy of Theater Arts in Kraków, he is currently a lecturer at AST.

He studied Polish philology ( specialization in cultural knowledge) at Jagiellonian University and philosophy at the University of Lodz.

Winner of the Gdynia Drama Award (2014) and its four-time finalist, winner of the Witold Gombrowicz Literary Award (2022) and Onet's Illuminations (2024), nominated for the Gdynia Literary Award (2022) and Polityka Passport (2023).

As a novelist, he made his debut with the book How I Didn’t Kill My Father and How Much I Regret It, which was named one of the most interesting books of 2021, received the Kraków City of Literature UNESCO Award, the Pen of the Year Literary Debut 2021 and the ArtRage Award, nominated for the Empik Discoveries, the Gdynia Literary Award and the Witold Gombrowicz Literary Award (awarded with a residency in Vence), and was among the final five of the European Prix Grand Continent award.

A performance based on the How I didn’t kill…, adapted and directed by Pakuła, has been hailed as the most important play of recent seasons, and has so far won twenty-five awards – team and individual.

Works

Prose:

Lucek, Ludwig and the Case of the Holy Yogurt (2025), Grandfather's Leather (2024), How I Didn’t Kill My Father and How Much I Regret It (2021). 

Drama:

a collection First Level Chaos (2020), Whale The Globe (2016), a collection Panoptikos (2015), dyptyk Down The Chain (2012), The Sausage Cowboy and Three Other Plays (2012) and The White Blower. Five Theatrical Plays (2010).

In preparation is a collection entitled The Flying Spaghetti Monster (2025).

Pakuła's plays have been translated into English, German, Czech, Spanish, Hungarian and Ukrainian. 

Major theatrical productions

  • The Flying Spaghetti Monster (pre-premiere - Theatre Łaźnia Nowa, directed by M. Pakuła, 2024);
  • The Golden Records (pre-premiere - Capitol Musical Theater in Wroclaw, directed by M. Pakuła, 2024);
  • How I Didn’t Kill My Father and How Much I Regret It (pre-premiere - Teatr Łaźnia Nowa in Kraków / Żeromski Theater in Kielce, directed by M. Pakuła, 2023);
  • Lem vs P. K. Dick (pre-premiere - Teatr Łaźnia Nowa in Kraków, directed by M. Pakuła, 2020);
  • First Level Chaos (pre-premiere - H. Modrzejewska National Old Theater in Krakow, directed by M. Pakuła, 2020);
  • Pluton p-brane (pre-premiere - Teatr Łaźnia Nowa in Kraków, directed by M. Pakuła, 2018);
  • Into the Fire! (pre-premiered at the Genius Loci Festival in Zakopane and at the J. Słowacki Theater in Cracow, directed by W. Klemm, 2018)
  • Whale the Globe (pre-premiere – Divine Comedy International Festival / Łaźnia Nowa Theatre in Krakow / Stary Theatre in Lublin, directed by E. Rysova, 2016-2017);
  • Sausage Cowboy (pre-premiere – Łaźnia Nowa Theater in Krakow, directed by W. Loga-Skarczewski, 2016; subsequent productions: radio play - Polish Radio Theater, directed by M. Pakuła, 2017);
  • Lords: Lord Kantor / Lord Milord / Lord Herling (pre-premiere - Żeromski Theater in Kielce, directed by E. Rysová / M. Pakuła, 2015),
  • Lord Bemol (pre-premier concert – Divine Comedy International Festival, music: Z. Skolias and A. Skolias).
  • Lord Kantor (Radio Kraków radio play – pre-premiere: opening of the new Cricoteka, directed by M. Pakuła, 2014);
  • Jungle People (pre-premiere - PWSFTviT in Lodz, directed by P. Świątek, 2014; subsequent productions: Polish Radio Theater, directed by M. Pakuła, 2018; Animation Theater in Poznań, directed by M. Pakuła, 2019);
  • Hard Bone, Dead World (pre-premiere - Żeromski Theater in Kielce, directed by E. Rysová, 2014);
  • Sadnesses of the Tropics (pre-premiere - International Festival of Divine Comedy / Teatr Łaźnia Nowa in Kraków, directed by P. Świątek, 2013; further productions: Rozbrak Theatre in Bytom, directed by K. Kostrzewa, 2016, Teatr Polski in Wrocław, directed by K. Łęcka, 2019);
  • My Anxiety is Carrying a Gun (pre-premiere - Żeromski Theatre in Kielce, dir. J. Mark, 2013; subsequent productions: AT department in Białystok, directed by A. Biziuk, 2015, AST in Kraków, directed by W. Loga-Skarczewski, 2018);
  • Down The Chain (pre-premiere – Osterwa Theatre in Lublin, dir. E. Rysová, 2012);
  • The Country is Doing Poorly (pre-premiere – Teatr Polski in Bydgoszcz, dir. W. Szczawińska, 2012);
  • Enter of the Dragon. Trailer (pre-premiere – Łaźnia Nowa Theatre in Kraków, dir. B. Szydłowski, 2011, further productions: Czytelnia Dramatu ACK UMCS, dir. D. Adamczyk, 2012)

As a dramatist and author of adaptations

  • Snow based on Orhan Pamuk (Łaźnia Nowa Theatre in Kraków, dir. B. Szydłowski, 2021)
  • Snow White and Russian Red based on Dorota Masłowska (J. Słowacki Theatre in Kraków, dir. P. Świątek, 2019)
  • Conformist 2029 based on Alberto Moravia (Łaźnia Nowa Theatre in Kraków, directed by B. Szydłowski, 2018);
  • The Saragossa Manuscript based on Jan Potocki (Kochanowski Theatre in Opole, dir. P. Świątek, 2014);
  • The Queen's Peacock based on Dorota Masłowska (Stary Theatre in Kraków, dir. P. Świątek, 2012);

Awards

Awards for Mateusz Pakuła and the other creators of the performance How I Didn’t Kill My Father and How Much I Regret It

Stanisław Wyspiański Theatre Award:

  • The main prize was awarded to the team of creators and actors of the play „Jak nie zabiłem swojego ojca i jak bardzo tego żałuję” ('How I Didn't Kill My Father and How Much I Regret It'), directed by Mateusz Pakuła (based on his book of the same title). The Łaźnia Nowa Theatre's production was co-produced with the Stefan Żeromski Theatre in Kielce.

Kontakt International Theatre Festival in Toruń:

  • Zdzisław Maklakiewicz Award for the best acting episode for Wojciech Niemczyk for his role in the play „Jak nie zabiłem swojego ojca i jak bardzo tego żałuję” ('How I Didn't Kill My Father and How Much I Regret It'), directed by Mateusz Pakuła.

International Festival of Pleasant and Unpleasant Plays in Łódź:

  • Best Performance Title – „Jak nie zabiłem swojego ojca i jak bardzo tego żałuję” ('How I Didn't Kill My Father and How Much I Regret It'), adapted and directed by Mateusz Pakuła (co-production of the Łaźnia Nowa Theatre and Stefan Żeromski Theatre in Kielce). Title awarded ex aequo.

International Theatre Festival Divine Comedy in Krakow:

  • The Grand Prix -– best production – was awarded by an international jury to the performance „Jak nie zabiłem swojego ojca i jak bardzo tego żałuję” ('How I Didn't Kill My Father and How Much I Regret It'), a co-production of the Łaźnia Nowa Theatre in Kraków and the Stefan Żeromski Theatre in Kielce. For turning a story about the fatigue and macabre of passing away into a community experience that builds faith in life.
  • Best Supporting Actor – the award went to Szymon Mysłakowski for his multiple roles in „Jak nie zabiłem swojego ojca i jak bardzo tego żałuję” ('How I Didn't Kill My Father and How Much I Regret It'). For proof of his virtuosity manifested in his ability to transform into many radically different characters, for his acting balanced between comedy and seriousness.

National Festival of Contemporary Drama ‘Rzeczywistość Przedstawiona’ in Zabrze

  • The jury awarded the festival's Grand Prix to Mateusz Pakuła's original performance ‘Jak nie zabiłem swojego ojca i jak bardzo tego żałuję’ from the Żeromski Theatre in Kielce and the Łaźnia Nowa Theatre in Kraków – to Mateusz Pakuła (director) and Jan Jurkowski, Szymon Mysłakowski, Wojciech Niemczyk and Andrzej Plata for their fantastic acting performances.
  • Audience Award for the performance ‘Jak nie zabiłem swojego ojca i jak bardzo tego żałuję’, directed by Mateusz Pakuła from the S. Żeromski Theatre in Kielce and the Łaźnia Nowa Theatre in Kraków.
  • Young People's Jury Award for the performance ‘How I Didn't Kill My Father and How Much I Regret It’ for an amazingly told story about vulnerability and the refinement of the performance for the director, Mateusz Pakuła.

International Theatre Festival ‘Without Borders’ in Cieszyn:

  • Grand Prix – ‘Broken Barrier’ – for the play ‘Jak nie zabiłem swojego ojca i jak bardzo tego żałuję’, directed by Mateusz Pakuła

National Competition for the Exhibition of Polish Contemporary Art:

  • Grand Prix for the performance ‘Jak nie zabiłem swojego ojca i jak bardzo tego żałuję’, directed by Mateusz Pakuła. Individual prizes for the creators of the performance:
  • Mateusz Pakuła – award for text;
  • Wojciech Niemczyk – award for acting;
  • Paulina Góral – award for lighting direction
  • Szymon Mysłakowski – Jan Świderski Acting Award.

Kalisz Theatre Encounters:

  • Audience Award for the Most-Bogusławski Performance of the 63rd Kalisz Theatre Meetings – Festival of the Art of Acting for the performance ‘Jak nie zabiłem swojego ojca i jak bardzo tego żałuję’, directed by Mateusz Pakuła.
  • Journalists' Award of the 63rd Kalisz Theatre Encounters for Andrzej Plata in the performance “Jak nie zabiłem swojego ojca i jak bardzo tego żałuję”, directed by Mateusz Pakuła.
  • Special Prize for the acting ensemble consisting of Andrzej Plata, Wojciech Niemczyk, Jan Jurkowski, Szymon Mysłakowski and Marcin Pakuła for their roles in the play ‘Jak nie zabiłem swojego ojca i jak bardzo tego żałuję’ directed by Mateusz Pakuła

Brand of Radio Krakow for the play ‘Jak nie zabiłem swojego ojca i jak bardzo tego żałuję’, directed by Mateusz Pakuła.

Award for the best performance of the 31st Audience Choice for the ‘Wild Rose’.

Journalists' Award for Best Actor – Andrzej Plata

Jan Karski Association ‘Art and Compassion’ Award for Mateusz Pakuła

Nomination for the Polityka Passports

Illuminations 2024: Cultural Award of Onet and the City of Kraków

  • Mateusz Pakuła for his performance ‘How I Didn't Kill My Father and How Much I Regret It’. The justification notes: ‘For an autobiographical performance about the right to die with dignity stripping death of false embellishments and creating space for repressed male emotions’.

 

Individual prizes, awards and scholarships

 

  • Award of the City of Kielce – First Degree Award for the book 'How I Didn't Kill My Father and How Much I Regret It' and a performance based on it;

  • Nominated for the 2024 Polityka Passports in the Theatre category.

  • Laureate of Onet's Illuminations 2024 in the Theatre category.

  • Winner of the Gdynia Drama Award (7th Competition for the Gdynia Drama Award – for the text of Sadnesses of the Tropics) and a five-time finalist in this competition.

  • Multiple finalist in the National Competition for the Exhibition of Polish Contemporary Art and three-time winner:

    • of the 29th edition of this Competition (Grand Prix, award for text)
    • of the 27th edition of this Competition (individual award for text Stanisław Lem vs Philip K. Dick and a team prize for the production– direction, set design, lighting, music – of a performance based on this text);
    • and the 19th edition of this competition (individual mention for the text of the My Anxiety is Carrying a Gun).

  • Winner of the Special Prize of the Theatre Magazine (team prize for producers) – for the performance Whale the Globe – ‘of unique artistic and humanistic value’.

  • Winner of the Don Quixote Award for his directorial debut at the Polish Radio Theatre.

  • Finalist of the ‘Talents of the Polish Radio Three’ 2013.

  • Nominated for the TVP Kultura ‘Gwarancje Kultury’ award for the most promising debut of 2010 (for the collection of The White Blower. Five Theatrical Plays).

  • Scholarship winner of the Ministry of Culture (‘Young Poland’ Scholarship 2014) and the City of Kraków (Artistic Scholarship 2010 and 2023 in the literature category).