Meeting ground for international crowd of theatre lovers – festival “TheATRIUM” in Lithuania

For the ninth year in a row a third biggest town in Lithuania, Klaipėda, steps into a summer with a festival, dedicated to theatre art. Its programme is divided into two distinct segments – Lithuanian theatre showcase, allowing in a few days’ time to watch the most interesting theatre productions from Lithuania and International programme, bringing to Klaipėda renowned theatre creators from abroad.

This year the festival starts on May 13th with a Lithuanian showcase, that will extent to May 17th. During the five-day period audience will get a chance to see nine very different performances by Lithuanian theatre creators. From genre bending contemporary theatre provocateurs, to well established and widely recognized names, from mono-performances to complicated stage settings – Lithuanian theatre showcase offers a chance to get a good understanding of what is relevant in Lithuanian theatre stages now. This part of the festival is also a time when a variety of international performative arts professionals gathers to network with Lithuanian theatre creators, discuss and share ideas. Among theatre professionals from Japan, Czech Republic, Sweden, Italy, Greece, South Africa Republic, Poland and others are also group of guests from Latvia and Estonia. 

This year newest addition to “TheATRIUM” programme is open discussion with selected festival guests taking to the podium on topic “Theater: An Outpost of Civilization or a Leisure Activity”. The discussion is planned on May 14th.

The International programme will continue from May 24th to June 12th.  At a much slower pace it will line up four performances from Ukraine, Spain, France and Poland. International programme will open on May 24th with performance “Process” directed by Ukrainian David Petrosyan – it concentrates on revealing cold, surreal and absurd horror of a bureaucratic system apparatus. After it, on May 28th comes widely touring Spanish theatre company “Kulunka” with its “Forever”, directed by Iñaki Rikarte. This stage story warmly and honestly centres on progression of familial ties – echoing beauty and struggles, in different forms and shapes familiar to majority. Without the doubt one of the highlights of the festival is impressive “Leviathan” on June 7th by Lorrain de Sagazan, last year this massive stage performance, including even a real horse celebrated its premiere in famed Avignon festival. Programme will close on June 12th with visually stunning stage interpretation of best-selling literary masterpiece from Netherlands “Discomfort of Evening” by writer Lucas Rijneveld. The novel re-imagined by Polish theatre director Małgorzata Wdowik lures with very high praises of theatre critics and explores silent horror of dealing with grief. 

International programme has a bonus – an in-depth conversation with a representative of every performance straight after its viewing – a chance to meet artists themselves and hear them explain their ideas. 

Festival centres in a historical heart of Klaipėda old town, Klaipėda drama theatre. “TheATRIUM” is famous for its smooth and excellent organization and friendly, inclusive atmosphere. The festival is traditionally followed by some open parties and enriched with art projects, growing from collaborations with artists from different fields. 

“TheATRIUM” has a very distinct face and voice. Its symbol, art loving god Apollo, every year goes through an intricate eagerly awaited transformation and is followed by an oracular phrase, emphasizing the underlying thoughts and ideas behind that year festival. This year, marked heavily by deepening rifts in society, political and social polarisation, Apollo reveals its beastly side and invites “To meet the Beast”. It is a rallying call to thoroughly go through the contemporary bestiary of monster shapes and fearlessly recognize which of them are friend and which are foe, which are existential threat, and which are simply smoke screen of fear. 

During its nine-year life “TheATRIUM” grew up to be one of the main theatre events in all Western Lithuania. Its strength combines not only an excellent curatorial work of its team, but also the geographical location of an event. The Lithuanian seaside in late spring and early summer is a superb time to combine cultural and leisure plans: art and beach. 

Klaipėda, nestled on the Baltic Sea shore is famous for its renowned pristine white sand beaches, its laid-back atmosphere, rich history and intense industry. The town is somewhat removed from the capital Vilnius and its close neighbour Kaunas. But that distance allows Klaipėda to maintain its own unique style, its own flavour of life. 

 

Information and tickets: www.theatrium.lt/en