Character costumes in the theater create not only the image of the character, but also tell stories, convey an era, emotions or even the inner world of a particular person. One of the most active Lithuanian costume designers, Jolanta Rimkutė, during her 26-year career in the theater, created many unique costumes, without which the landscape of the contemporary Lithuanian stage cannot be imagined.
One of the most recent and significant works of J. Rimkutė is the costumes created for the Vilnius Old Theater play "The Convert. Count Potockis from Vilnius" (dir. Albertas Vidžiūnas, artistic director of the performance Jonas Vaitkus), which was inspired by the dramatic legend of the painter and writer Šolomas Zelmanavičius "Ger tzedekas. Count Potocki from Vilnius". J. Rimkute was challenged not only to convey a complex historical era, but also to subtly embody cultural symbols and character transformations.
The play will be shown in the Old Theater on October 30, 31.
- The theater costume you create is characterful, evocative, elegant, important details, the totality of the image. How was your style as a theater artist formed? Who had the biggest influence?
Those who know me as a costume designer working in fashion, television, cinema, theater recognize my drawing. Sometimes they say, this is a "Rimkutish" suit. There is a color code, materiality, textures, materials that I like. Silhouette is important to me in the theater. I don't like excessive, unreasonable decoration, props on stage. I love design when you feel the creator's touch, drawing, and subtle suggestiveness. I always aim to combine the costume with the scenery and the actor's performance. I never seek to dominate. This is how I understand the work of a costume designer in the theater.
Who influenced me the most? Hotel Pro Forma and Robert Wilson with his specific style, aesthetic. It is always necessary to keep in mind that in Lithuania we must be versatile and be able to adapt to various directors, materials and spaces. Unfortunately, if I were a musician, I would have to play very different music. Because we are a small country and I have to be able to play classical, jazz and folklore. And that's not bad. I like different tunes.
- How did you prepare for this “Convert. Count Potocki from Vilnius", what effect did the historical context have on the costumes, Š. Historical personalities mentioned in Zelmanavičius's play?
My work as a costume designer begins when I become familiar with a certain historical period after reading a play. Although the play is a legend, in order to be able to improvise, you need to know the material well. It was a challenge for me because it takes place in the 18th century. in the middle of Lithuania, in the Jewish community. It was necessary to find out how the townspeople, Lithuanians and Jews of that time dressed, so I had to read a lot of literature. Although I have created many historical costumes, such a specific LDK period was new to me.
I like the theater because it always gives me new experiences and knowledge. The troupe is large, almost all the actors are involved, so it was necessary to find solutions to quickly transform the same actor into another character. This is one of the big challenges of this production. By cooperating with the scenographer and director, knowing the historical context and content of the play, you can already have your own vision and decide what you want to convey.
I gradually realized that the main differences are not in the costumes, but in our mind, belief, way of thinking. It is important for me to emphasize that although the appearance of the people in this play is not fundamentally different, the main differences lie in faith. After all, even in modern society, we dress similarly, but we have different beliefs.
- What tasks did you set for yourself in the performance "Convert. Count Potocki from Vilnius"? What was the starting point for creating the images of the characters?
Let's start by saying that I always do a lot of visual research before I start work, reading and watching visuals to understand the context of the period. Each era has its own context and fashion. I think about what is appropriate for that period and how it relates to the times we live in. I am always very inspired by old photographs. I watch them not only for the costumes, but also for the atmosphere, the person's appearance and the pose. Two books by costume historian Rūta Guzevičiūtė helped a lot: "Between East and West. 16th-19th centuries Circumstances and forms of formation of the LDK noble costume" and "Jewish costume wanderings in time and space".
The fascinating thing about the old theater is that it always has a warehouse, so existing items can be adapted or adapted. For example, the characters beggars will always look tired, "worn out", so it is appropriate and pleasant to use old things and recycle them. However, many costumes had to be remade. The physical capacity of the old theater required help from abroad, because it is a big job to create costumes for the entire troupe in a short time. For example, beards and headdresses were symbols of status during the period in which the play was set. Nowadays, we are returning to these characters, so the theater's make-up department had a lot of work to do in creating new beards and headgear.
Each genre dictates its own. Working with opera, operetta or drama requires a different approach. In this case, we are working with the legend of Count Potocki, like a fairy tale for adults, with a story that has already been sifted by the creators, which allows interpretation, coloring. I was very encouraged by the museum people who said: "We museum workers who work with precise things have very clear boundaries. You are a creator and an artist, you can cross those boundaries.” I remembered this phrase in this production and it allowed me to defy those boundaries.
- "A convert. Count Potockis from Vilnius" is already your 6th work with director Jonas Vaitkums. What is the importance of the tandem of the director and set designer?
Let's not forget that this tandem is also with scenographer Artūrs Šimonis. It's a trio: the director, the scenographer and me. I like that the director talks to the set designer, and I am the third person contributing to the visual part. It's a team effort and I like the unpredictability. A particularly inspiring experience in this work is the encounter with the work of composer Rita Mačiliūnaitė and teamwork. I am happy that I can work with one of the classics of Lithuanian theater direction. Our first joint work with Vaitkum was Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice Beautiful, stage designer of the play Jūratė Paulėkaitė. John allows himself to not know a lot until the end, which gives the theater a sense of wonder. The theater is a place of miracles and a lot is born in the last week before the premiere. And so be it.
Ingrida Ragelskienė spoke
More about the performance: https://vsteatras.lt/spektakliai/atsivertelis-grafas-potockis-iesh-vilniaus
