The season of the Vilnius Small Theater, which started with a cycle of events in the outdoor spaces of the capital, will continue to be more ordinary, but no less interesting. Not only the creative group returns to the theater, but also the long-awaited guests. Among them is the Slovenian director Tomi Janežičius, who will soon start rehearsals of Anton Chekhov's play "Uncle Vania" together with the actors of the Vilnius Small Theater, as well as the young generation director Uršulė Bartoševičiūtė, who is starting the selection of actors for a new play.
A wise wizard, or maybe a shaman
In the first days of September, the Vilnius Small Theater received a special guest - director Tomi Janežičius. The director, also known as a professor at the Theater, Radio and Television Academy in Ljubljana and a professional psychodrama psychotherapist, creates plays in countries such as Italy, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Bulgaria, Russia, etc.
The director came to the Vilnius Small Theater to stage the play "Uncle Vania" by the famous Russian writer Anton Chekhov. The premiere of this performance in the theater is expected in December.
As the theater researcher Ramunė Balevičiūtė tells, the director T. Janežičius has a unique working method: "Although the works of this director stand out for their original directorial interpretations, I would not call him a director-builder in any way. I would say he is a true experimenter and explorer of human nature. As Tomi himself says, the most important thing for him is not to stage a play, but to establish a relationship with people - the actors, the entire creative group and finally - with the audience."
According to R. Balevičiūtė, T. Janežičius is a certified psychodrama therapist, so he uses this - psychodrama - method during rehearsals to focus the actors, to create a safe environment to open up and create.
"To me, he is like a wise guide and sometimes even a shaman who has healing powers. However, there is no esotericism in T. Janežičius' method - only knowledge based on scientific research and many years of experience. It is very important for Tomi to create an atmosphere of trust and closeness in the group. But that connection building is not abstract philosophizing or long conversations about life. Communication always has a basis in dramaturgy - a specific dramatic situation", says theater expert R. Balevičiūtė.
A man who knows his expiration date
Another news of the last few days is Uršulė Bartoševičiūtė, a director of the young generation who is starting work in Vilnius' small theater. The creator is taking on a play by a contemporary American author - the selection of actors for the play begins on September 11-13, and the premiere is scheduled for the end of November.
What kind of play did the director U. Bartoševičiūtė choose to stage - for now it is an intrigue that we do not want to reveal. However, at the center of the performance will be a person who knows his expiration date, experiencing the feeling of "what would I do if I knew when I would die".
Vilnius small theater information
