The Lithuanian National Drama Theater (LNDT) is intensively preparing for the first premiere of the 81st season. in the Vilnius cinema cluster on September 3, 4, 5. the premiere of Łukasz Twarskowski's play "Respublika", created with an international team, will take place. This is already the second production of this director at LNDT, the first being "Lokis", which won four "Golden Stage Crosses".
The creative process lasting more than two years, the huge space of the Kino cluster, impressive decorations, immersive theater methods and the prestigious European theater that became the co-producer of the play - the Munich Kammerspiele. These are some of the highlights of this performance.
The creators point out that this will not be a standard performance, when the audience sits in their seats all the time. In "Republika" everyone will be able to feel part of the commune, move freely, come and go, buy drinks and snacks, so you should not be afraid of the long duration of the performance.
"Respublika" is an artistic project whose creators sought to test the idea of basic income. What happens if we redefine work? Can only those activities aimed at increasing GDP and wages be called work?
The actors and other members of the creative group had retreated to the nature of Lithuania several times, where they received a fixed amount for living and sought to create a community operating outside the usual social and economic structures. It soon became clear that the members of "Respublikos" were united and their common activities became dancing and music. Does music-making and dancing in the wild have a broader, ritualistic, unifying meaning?
"Republika" is in a way a continuation of my research in the theater. And this is partly the answer to the audience of Loki, because after the premiere and the international tours there was a recurring opinion: "what a shame we can't dance during the performance". We partially fulfilled this request during the performances of "Bear" in the Lithuanian Opera and Ballet Theater, when we made a fan zone for dancing in the orchestra pit, but there will be more opportunities to dance in "Respublika".
The idea of the "Republic" originated from the Paulava Republic, which existed in Lithuania in the eighteenth century, but we studied the theme of freedom and what kind of communities can create a sense of freedom today. For me, the answer to that question was rave, the rave community. I sought to create a performance that intersected theater, multimedia, art, cinema and music. That it would be a rave production.
We invite viewers to a fully immersive installation, where the action can be followed in many different ways: live, broadcast through screens or a montage. It is a very complex, complex production, so it is impossible to see everything in one go. It depends on the viewer which trajectory he chooses, which greatly changes what he sees and receives," says the director of the performance Łukasz Twarkowski.
"Republika" is created by an international team (part of it worked on "Bear", it is scenographer Fabien Lede, composer Bogumił Misala, choreographer Paweł Sakowicz, some actors). Joanna Bednarczyk is the dramatist of "Respublika", costumes are designed by Svenja Gassen from Germany, video projections are by Adomas Gustainis and Karol Rakowski, lighting design is by Julius Kuršys and Dainius Urbonis.
Techno music will play in "Republika", as in "Loki", and the audience may be surprised by the fact that they will see famous actors at the DJ console. They already tested themselves as DJs in February at an event held in the Vilnius night club "Opium".
The performance will feature Nelė Savičenko, Airida Gintautaitė, Rasa Samuolytė, Jan Dravnel, Rytis Saladžius, Valentinas Novopolskis, Vainius Sodeika, Augustė Pociūtė, Gediminas Rimeika, Ula Liagaitė, Martynas Nedzinskas, Diana Anevičiūtė, Algirdas Dainavičius and two actors from the Munich Kammerspiele: Stefan Merki and Komi Togbonou.
"Humanity tests revolutionary ideas all the time. It seems that the current basis of ideas, social and political narratives is no longer suitable. With increasing inequality, collapsing democracy, redistribution of power structures and the threat of climate catastrophe, more and more people are realizing that the current laws are no longer laws, but chaos and injustice.
So does an experience without financial measurements have any value? Do music and dance have the ritual power to strengthen the frightened and anxious person? Make him and her less helpless? More responsible? More sensitive? Can the idea of a republic transcend the political structure and acquire new existential meanings?" - ask the creators of the play.
The Republic is a new theatrical experience in space and time, where stories, food and even a sauna can be shared. The level of involvement will depend on the viewer himself - he always has the freedom to just watch the performance. The duration of this special theatrical experience, which is presented in Lithuania for the first time (in English it is called immersive and durational theatre), is 6 hours. The sponsor of the show is LR The Ministry of Culture; partners: Adam Mickevičius Institute, Polish Institute in Vilnius, "Sportland"; performance club - "Opium".
The premiere of "Respublika" will take place on September 3, 4, 5. in the Vilnius cinema cluster (Meistru str. 12C, Vilnius).
