ABOUT HOW I.I. BECAME UP
IN PEOPLE

6+

a fairytale comedy for the whole family
scenario Iacob Gribinenco
Premiere took place
8 november 2025

1 h 30

without intermission

Forget everything you knew about folklore heroes! They’re back, and they’ve been completely rebooted. Want to see a Tsar who’s worried not about dragons, but about his subjects leaving to earn money? Or the Tsar’s daughter, Mariuca, who chooses fashionable looks using artificial intelligence? Or perhaps the perennial villain Baba Cloanța, who no longer wastes time searching for rare roots for potions because she’s busy with a real estate business plan. For the diaspora, by the way.

In our “united magical universe,” the heroes of Moldovan fairy tales face the same problems we do. While boyars wear checkered bags, princesses argue with their fathers about “vibe looks,” and Pacală and Tândale are slowly becoming masters of pranks and hype, the hero Ionel proves that a true heroic deed doesn’t require an ancient sword. All it takes is a loyal friend and a kind heart.

This is a hilarious play for both adults and children. It combines magic with the TikTok era, and adult-friendly humor with the magic that captivates children.

But instead of the HR department, he finds himself in the royal palace, where the Tsar is playing on a console, Boyar Shkyopu is looking for a wife, and the Fierce Serpent has become so brazen that he doesn’t fly, but simply walks.

To secure the promised privileges and the hand of Princess Mariuka, our hero will have to accomplish the impossible: meet a talking Wolf, go on a date with Bug-Eyed Likho (who, it turns out, kisses!), and meet Baba Kloantsya, who, instead of brewing a potion, is drawing up a real estate business plan.

And all these adventures are commented on by the famous heroes of Moldovan fairy tales, the eternal cunning friends Păcală and Tândale!

PRODUCTION GROUP

Director: Roman Malai

Autorul scenariului: Iacob Gribinenco

Scenography: Milen Chelea

Costume designer: Ecaterina Salimova

Mask sculptor: Alexandr Medinschi

Muzic: Ilia Vivici

Stage combat: Iacob Gribinenco

Choreographer: Ștefan Isac

Ionel – Iacob Gribinenco

Mariuca – Ana Goreacica / Ecaterina Brausova

Lupul Ilieș – Ghenadii Boiarchin

Mama lui Ionel, Soția Balaurului Fioros – Olga Madan

Împăratul – Arcel Ioseliani

Boierul Șchiopu – Piotr Peicev

Holbăciune-Spurcăciune, Lupoaica Doina – Inna Honenco

Baba Cloanța – Natalia Cornigruța

Păcală – Nicolae Nezlucenco

Tândală – Denis Perev

Balaur Fioros  – Stanislav Baboglo

Assistant director: Liubovi Danalachi / Denis Perev / Igor Bostanica