LNDT begins its new season with the search for truth in LOKIS
The Lithuanian National Drama Theater presented its 78th season in the theater lobby, in front of a large canvas, informing that the construction of the new national SPA is under way. The noise of construction work could be heard in the lobby. In this manner the theater presented its new season called AFTER THE DEATH OF TRUTH.
At the press conference. Photo by T. Ivanauskas.
“The gap between declarations and actions, between promises and real work, between the headlines and the content is increasing every day. What is truth today: what is being said or what is being done? Truth is everything and at the same time it is nowhere to be found. All the new productions of the season will be analyzing in one way or another the following situations: between illusion and reality, between opinions and facts, between words and actions”, explained Martynas Budraitis, the general director of LNDT. According to Budraitis, the idea of the creation of the SPA is an irony reflecting what is happening in society and the media.
Martynas Budraitis, Director General of LNDT. Photo by T. Ivanauskas.
When presenting the upcoming premieres, most attention was given to the first play to premiere at the Grand Hall of the LNDT in the 78th season – LOKIS, based on the eponymous novella by Prosper Mérimée, and the lives and work of musician Bertrand Cantat and photographer Vitas Luckus, received the most attention.
The country where Marie Trintignant was murdered
“I read the novella by Merimee recommended to me by Martynas Budratis and still not knowing what I would do with it, I said that this is a very powerful work of literature. Then I came across the story of Bertrand Cantat. I think most foreigners remember his name when they hear about Lithuajnia. My wife is French and for French people Lithuania is primarily the country where Marie Trintignant was murdered.
I am very pleased that the Lithuanian National Drama Theater called its entire season AFTER THE DEATH OF TRUTH. In rehearsals of LOKIS we discussed the post-truth situation and the mockumentary way of narration, combining documentary and acting.
Director Łukasz Twarkowski. Photo by T. Ivanauskas.
Merimee's novella is a reflection of post-truth. He imitated a documentary story, trying to trigger certain emotions of the reader. He used the name of a real nobleman, which led to a scandal in the nineteenth century. Merimee had never visited Lithuania himself, he relied on sources. We felt like him: we came to Lithuania to tell something about Lithuania without having lived here. We understood that we had deliver it in a very personal manner in order to get the right to tell these stories as strangers.
In each storyline we concentrated on a particular subject. In the case of Cantat, on his image as a monster created by the media. The musician says the worst thing that happened to him was that he became a symbol of violence against women. Nobody knows what really happened that night, while Cantat claims he remembers nothing. In LOKIS nobleman Šemeta simply disappears and we will never know what happened to him. The life of Vitas Luckas was marked by a similar tragedy, but in his case, we decided to focus on his words on image and photography,” says director Lukasz Twarkowski.
Rehearsing without a play or roles
Dramatist Anka Herbut’s assistant Teklė Kavtaradzė says that the performance does not seek to reveal the real truth, although in the beginning they thought about it: “I find it most interesting that at the core of the play’s dramaturgy were not facts, but the search for truth. We did this from our very first conversations, because at the very beginning there was a desire to find the answers, to understand everything, but the play will only portray an attempt to seek the truth, we will not offer any answers.”
Dramatist’s assistant Teklė Kavtaradzė. Photo by T. Ivanauskas.
The rehearsals took longer than usual and were different in the sense that there was neither a play nor roles. The director and the entire creative team from Poland first focused on material analysis, team building, getting a better feel of each other. Everyone, including the director, the playwright, the composer, the video artist, the choreographer and the actors, participated in the tasks and exercises. “We began rehearsing in winter, then we met again in August. We watched documentaries and mockumentaries, talked about post-truth and, of course, the aforementioned stories. We worked with choreographer Pawel Sakowicz, who gave us many training exercises to help build the team. We talked a lot. Usually, you want to talk less, but go and do, but these conversations and film analyses were very necessary. This work has charged a huge battery for the whole team. Now, when working on the stage, we can be very flexible in rehearsing, moving in one direction or the other, showing what’s happening on stage from different angles,” says actor Vainius Sodeika.
Actor Vainius Sodeika. Photo by T. Ivanauskas.
A team of different actors and many techniques
Actress Elżbieta Latėnaitė: “I think it’s a big advantage that so many different actors were gathered in LOKIS. Some of them have worked together before, but most of us met for the first time. Therefore, a new “chemistry” has emerged, because when you begin to work with new people, you have to learn a new language, different ways of expression. It is a great honor for me to be part of this team selected by Lukasz. I learn from my colleagues every day. The process is unique because it includes both theater and cinema, and simply the presence in the here and now. We have developed a very strong sense of the team, there are scenes where it is very important to feel each other, especially when one is filming and others are playing, you must know where your colleague will go, what he or she will do. Though the amount of technical equipment in this performance is rather intimidating (it is easier to trust people), but I hope everything is going to be fine. The effect of seeing the result, which combines theater, cinema and a living person on a giant screen, is enormous, so I envy the audience who will be able to see the play.”
Actress Elžbieta Latėnaitė. Photo by T. Ivanauskoas.
Rytis Saladžius will play the nobleman Šemeta from the novella LOKIS: “I am very happy that I play a Lithuanian. I don’t really know if I am playing, or presenting, or investigating, or giving some guidelines for that character and his characteristics. Beastiness is the main feature of the count, but much in this performance is shaped by the environment. I act not only as a character, I am influenced by the whole team. You can begin to see the overall picture only after a while; it is impossible to guess what is happening in real time. As actors, we have had numerous discoveries. The process is very interesting, I have never participated in anything like this before, everything is alive, happening here and now.”
Actor Rytis Saladžius. Photo by T. Ivanauskas.
Spectators are invited to become investigators
Nelė Savičenko, who was added to the team later, says that she immediately noticed the team’s uniqueness: “On the very first day, I found this group to be exceptional with its special atmosphere. There was something in the air above those people; it was not easy to grasp what it was. Some kind of mutual code. I could feel that I had come in late. But I was given all the necessary conditions to blend in, one rehearsal was dedicated solely to me. Now I see that every member of the group is extremely important, his or her mission in the performance, even if it looks small, is very meaningful. Like all other actors in the show, you are an investigator. An investigator, an explorer, a performer and a mockumentalist, and if we are able to convince the viewers that they can also be investigators we will have won a very difficult battle. I look forward to this performance and I believe in it.”
Actress Nelė Savičenko. Photo by T. Ivanauskas.
LOKIS will premiere at the LNDT Grand Hall on September 14. The playwright – Anka Herbut. She is assisted by Teklė Kavtaradzė. Stage design by the French designer Fabien Lédé, costumes – by Dovilė Gudačiauskaitė, composer Bogumił Misala, choreographer Paweł Sakowicz, author of video effects – Jakub Lech, lights designer – Eugenijus Sabaliauskas. Cast: Darius Gumauskas, Rytis Saladžius, Vainius Sodeika, Saulius Bareikis, Nelė Savičenko, Elžbieta Latėnaitė, Airida Gintautaitė, Dovilė Šilkaitytė, Gytis Ivanauskas and Arnas Danusas. The performance was sponsored by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania and the Lithuanian Council for Culture.
At the press conference. Photo by T. Ivanauskas.
OTHER PREMIERES OF THE 78TH SEASON OF THE LITHUANIAN NATIONAL DRAMA THEATER
#beskambučio/#nobell
After the premiere of LOKIS, on November 4, the Lithuanian National Drama Theater will present its performance #beskambučio/#nobell, performed exclusively in schools, but meant not only for students and teachers. The director Paulius Tamolė and the creative team consisting of playwright Augustas Sireikis, stage designer Lauryna Liepaitė and the actors will try to show that the discipline, culture of obedience and shifting responsibilities instilled in us by the bell in our schools, move on to our workplaces and influence our lives beyond the borders of the school. The performance shown at Vilnius Salomėja Nėries gymnasium aims to provoke thoughts about what the world without the school bell would look like. Subsequently, the play will tour in smaller town schools. Cast: Diana Anevičiūtė, Povilas Budrys, Jolanta Dapkūnaitė, Laurynas Jurgelis, Jurga Kalvaityte, Justina Nemanytė, Kamilė Petruškevičiūtė, Augustė Pociūtė, Gediminas Rimeika, Salvijus Trepulis, Oskar Vygonovski, Arūnas Vozbutas.
DREAMLAND
DREAMLAND is expected to premiere on November 25. The original idea behind the performance was that it would be based on real refugees’ life stories. The creative team – director Mantas Jančiauskas and the text writers Rimantas Ribačiauskas and Kristina Savickienė (who wrote the play for the documentary performance GREEN MEADOW) collected material in refugee centers in Lithuania and refugee camps in Greece and Macedonia. Now the creators say that the theme of the performance has been broadened, approaching the Lithuanian identity and other aspects.
A documentary play about Šalčininkai
On March 22, 2018, the Lithuanian National Drama Theater is planning to present another documentary performance. The play will revolve around the city of Šalčininkai and its residents. Unlike in GREEN MEADOW (premiered in May, 2017) where employees of Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant and residents of Visaginas tell their own stories, here real life stories will be told by professional actors. The director of the play and the author of its concept – Jonas Tertelis.
PARODYMAI/EVIDENCE
On April 19, 2018, LNDT will present a one-man performance based on the play EVIDENCE by Hailji, a Korean writer who also wrote a book about Užupis. The performance directed by Artūras Areimas deals with two realities – real and illusory – of a highly respected professor who is accused of murdering his brother-in-law, but does not remember anything from what happened. Povilas Budrys will play the main character.
NORMALUMO FANTOMAS/PHANTOM OF NORMALITY
On May 25, 2018, Saara Turunen, a playwright and theater director from Finland whose work BROKEN HEART STORY was presented in the Small Hall of the LNDT four years ago, will present her latest production, called PHANTOM OF NORMALITY. In the performance, the Scandinavian artist examines what it means to be a normal, ordinary person who is afraid to stand out of the crowd. Constructed as a collage, the play will involve a large Finnish team and a group of Lithuanian actors: Martynas Nedzinskas, Marius Repšys, Gediminas Rimeika, Rasa Samuolytė, and Rimantė Valiukaitė.
Phlosopher Kristupas Sabolius – the new moderator of discussions
LNDT is happy to present its visitors with even more news: our Monday “Conversations Not about Theater” are returning with a new moderator. From now on, they will be led by philosopher Kristupas Sabolius. During the first discussion, titled “How is Truth Made?” which will take place at 6 PM on September 11, Kristupas will invite you to talk about post-truth, fake news, the power of Twitter, and other relevant issues. The discussion partly explaining the theater’s season called “After the Death of Truth” will be held in the theater lobby and will include Vytautas Ališauskas, Mykolas Katkus, and Aurelijus Katkevičius.
Even more discounts for large families.
Last year, the Lithuanian National Drama Theater presented its Large Family Card that over a hundred large families have benefited from so far. Seeing the relevance of the card, the theater has invited other cultural institutions to join the initiative. This autumn the theater presents a new plastic “Large Family Card” offering 50 percent discounts for large families not only at the Lithuanian National Drama Theater, but also at the Lithuanian National Philharmonic and SKALVIJA Cinema Center.
Another novelty of the season – a Young person’s discount for people aged 7-25. The discount will apply to all young people – regardless of whether they are studying or not. The person will have to present a personal document proving that they meet the specified age criteria.
Like before, next season (October 24-29) we will be organizing the national dramaturgy festival “Versmė”, aimed at promoting Lithuanian playwrights to write new plays and facilitating their appearance on the stage of the LNDT. Readings of contemporary dramaturgy will be held in the spring of 2018. Next season we will also be waiting for our viewers feedback at meetings with theater groups after performances. The series of such meetings will be called “Auditorija tiria” (Auditorium explores).