Baltic Visual Theatre Takes the Stage at the World’s Leading Puppet Festival

This September, the world’s most influential contemporary puppet theatre event — the Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes in Charleville-Mézières, France — will spotlight the vibrant and diverse world of Baltic visual theatre as part of its main programme.

A curated selection of performances, exhibitions, lectures, and a spirited club night will bring the artistic voices of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to the heart of the festival, offering audiences a rich encounter with the region’s innovative approach to puppet and object theatre.

According to Leino Rei, director of the Estonian Theatre for Young Audiences and one of the key initiators of the Baltic programme, the spotlight is the result of long-term collaboration between visual theatre practitioners across the three countries. “We reached a shared understanding with puppet theatres in Latvia and Lithuania — that together we are stronger and more visible. In 2022, we launched a Baltic visual theatre showcase and invited international festival curators to attend. The interest in a Baltic focus has been significant, and alongside Charleville, we are also in discussions with several other festivals around the world,” Rei explains.

Paulius Tamolė, head of Vilnius Theatre "Lėlė" and coordinator of the Lithuanian programme, views this opportunity as both a continuation of Baltic cultural cooperation and a chance to amplify the region’s message to a global audience: “The invitation to present our work at the world’s largest and most renowned puppetry festival inspires us to aim even higher. I believe that this joint journey will strengthen the partnership between Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian theatres, and bring many wonderful new experiences along the way,” Tamolė notes.

Mārtiņš Eihe, General Director of the Latvia Puppet Theatre and main coordinator from the Latvian side, highlights the internal value of the process: “This festival is much more than just showing up or putting Baltic theatre on display. The entire lead-up has allowed us to explore what’s happening next door – to notice the overlaps and the contrasts. I hope the festival will give us a chance to step back and see ourselves with fresh eyes, in a global context – and maybe even inspire some bold new goals for the future.”

The Baltic Focus programme includes work from both national and independent companies across the three countries. Estonia will be represented by the Estonian Theatre for Young Audiences with Transport: Frontline and The Boy and the Butterfly. From Latvia, the Latvian Puppet Theatre will present Siberian Haiku, while the independent Gertrude Street Theatre will bring Wood Paths. Lithuania's contribution includes Choice by Vilnius Theatre “Lėlė”, Transport: Fasten Your Seatbelts! by Klaipėda Puppet Theatre, and The Lion and the Bird by Kaunas Puppet Theatre.

The off-programme adds further dimension with Hearts & Chimneys by Kaunas Psilicone Theatre, Disappear by Aistė Marulytė, and The Fly, the Cockroach and the Spider by the Estonian Theatre for Young Audiences.

In addition to performances, the subprogramme includes lectures delving into Baltic visual theatre and three exhibitions that explore shared and contrasting artistic perspectives across the region.

The Baltic focus will culminate on September 23 with a joint Baltic Club Night, where contemporary Baltic musicians reinterpret their national folklore through bold, experimental sound. The evening will feature performances by Silver Sepp (Estonia), ZeMe (Latvia), and thelastsunday x Jausmė (Lithuania).

The 23rd Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes will take place from September 19 to 28, 2025, in Charleville-Mézières, France.

The project is co-funded by the Baltic Culture Fund.