A Creole performance in Vilnius
Indentity or Death?
The Lithuanian society stands out from other European nations as it demonstrates an significant tendency towards homophobia and ethnic hatred. Such attitudes are shaped by anti-European political powers, which often use hate speech in electoral campaigns. Sometimes such attitudes manifest themselves during national holiday celebrations, where patriotism and racism are presented as identical concepts. Parades of people with nazi or fascist symbols on their clothes march and chant openly racist slogans. The national press regularly reports on violence and lynchings of people who are labelled as “the other”. These reports signal that the society has an acute problem, while there is no adequate attempt to reach for mutual understanding and dialogue, which would allow both sides to know each other better. Such reality jeopardizes the idea of Lithuania as a European nation.
The artistic work aims to analyze reasons behind the aggressive political and social discrimination against ethnic and sexual minorities in Lithuania. Finding authentic yet inconvenient personal accounts of people who have to endure social phobias, who have suffered from violence and various forms of discrimination based on their innate characteristics. Personal accounts are even more important because of their roots in a specific time. These accounts are the shared secrets of the present time. The idea of the performance aims to turn this sum of experiences into a production seeking to find the points, which would permit us to destroy the identities and citizenship concepts based on nazism and racism with the patricotic facade. We are willing to ask the question what humanism is in the modern age? Does it exist? How can we create it? Is identity based on differences? Why isn’t culture a sufficient object of identity for us?
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The Crew
Gintaras Varnas
1988–1993 studijavo Teatro režisūros specialybę Lietuvos muzikos akademijoje, teatro fakultete (kurso vadovai – Jonas Vaitkus ir Rimas Tuminas). 1994–1997 magistrantūros ir meno aspirantūros studijas Lietuvos muzikos akademijoje, teatro fakultete, kur 1997 įgijo menų magistro laipsnį. 1980–1983 dirbo scenos darbininku ir režisieriaus padėjėju Lietuvos rusų dramos teatre, 1984–1986 – mėgėjiškos teatro studijos režisieriumi, o 1987–1988 – režisieriaus asistentu Nacionaliniame Kauno dramos teatre. G. Varnas išgarsėjo 1988, įkūręs „Šėpos” teatrą, kuriam vadovavo iki 1992. 1989–2004 – laisvai samdomas režisierius. Spektaklius statė Valstybiniame jaunimo, Vilniaus mažajame, Lietuvos ir Kauno akademiniuose dramos teatruose, Lietuvos operos ir baleto teatre, Latvijos nacionalinėje operoje. Režisierius ne kartą stažavosi užsienyje, dalyvauja nepriklausomuose projektuose. Nuo 2004 pavasario iki 2007 metų pabaigos – Nacionaliniio Kauno dramos teatro meno vadovas. 2008 m. įkūrė teatrą „Utopia“.
Sadurní Vergés
Live in a town near Barcelona, Catalonia. Before I started studying theatre formally in 2013, I did a degree in English Translation and Interpreting at Universitat de Vic, an MA in Literature in European Cultures at Cardiff University, and a postgrad degree in Cultural Management at UOC − Catalan distance university. I’m currently about to start my 3rd year at Institut del Teatre (Barcelona) as a student of Playwriting and Directing. I have always been interested mainly in text theatre − from Shakespeare to Lorca, from Chekhov or Strindberg to Tennessee Williams− but nowadays I also feel a growing interest in other theatrical forms like physical or objects theatre. I’m much eager to learn and I’m totally open to explore as many ways as possible in order to grow as a theatre-maker.
Aidas Jurgaitis
3rd year acting student in Lithuanian Music and Theatre Academy. Interests: Keen on meeting new people, playing guitar. Shakespeare plays. Watch independent movies. Professional work: Did a part in “YOLO” play by Povilas Makauskas in National Theatre of Lithuania.
Arnas Danusas
Studying in the 3rd course of acting. I play piano, guitar (but I am left-handed, so sometimes it‘s a little bit hard to find a left-handed guitar). I enjoy creating electronical music and I am also intrerested in experimental theatre with the use of electronical instruments, devices etc. Electronical theatre. Semi-professional: Composer, music player, dancer, stage technician.
Iveta Raulynaitytė
19 years old. I live in Lithuania, Vilnius and study at Lithuanian Music and Theatre Academy. I finished first bachelor year of theatre acting. This year we tried to understand animal psychology and do the animal characters physically with our body. Later we met with masks. Learned how to do a personal mask, how to give it life and a character. I’m also interested in modern dance, however I’m not learning it professionally. I am also drawn to singing. I’ve been practicing Lithuanian folklore songs, but honestly I’m just a medium not bad singer. My hobby is photography. I know English and a bit Russian languages. I don’t have any professional theatre experience yet.
Barté Liagaité
Studying in the 3rd course of art (theater) management. I am working with theatre projects in Lithuanian Music and Theatre Academy Art center. For now my biggest interest is in contemporary dance. Also I play cello and for now I am mostly interested in playing Bach. Semi-professional: music player, stage tachnology, scenography, costume design.