TheATRIUM will once again bring together a group of theater professionals from abroad Culture

France, Germany, Ireland, Slovakia, Poland, Sultanate of Oman, Japan – these are some of the countries from which so-called scouts will come to the eighth international theater festival in Klaipėda.

All of them are driven to visit Lithuania by several different reasons – some are looking for performances that they can invite to their countries, others are looking for interesting theater creators for co-productions, and still others aim to introduce the community of theater lovers in their country to Lithuania and its theater culture, which is still exotic to many. Every year, the scouts behind TheATRIUM spread the word about the Lithuanian theater, the festival house, the Klaipėda Drama Theater and the city itself more and more widely. This strengthens Klaipėda’s image in the international arena as a culturally important regional center.

Dom Rimeika’s photo/Festival “TheAtrium”

“The mature experience of the organizers of the seven-year-old festival is evident from its smooth and efficient course, but perhaps the most amazing thing is the sense of spontaneity, which hides a strict order,” said Oman daily after the festival last year in its introductory series of four articles dedicated to TheATRIUM. Abdul Karim Ali Jawad Al Lawati, a guest from the Sultanate of Oman, wrote in the publication. He also described to his readers the calm and attractive city of Klaipėda, which, despite all the attributes of a metropolis, he identified at first sight as a small provincial center and was therefore surprised by the ornate and active theater and its achievements.

Dom Rimeika’s photo/Festival “TheAtrium”

“The range of performances presented in the Klaipėda Drama Theater is impressive. For example, the festival takes a radical approach to one of the most problematic topics in modern Lithuania – suicide”, wrote cultural journalist Ute Büsing in the publication “Tagesspiegel”, starting her review with a reference to the play “Freedom” (dir. D. Gavenonis) seen in the showcase of the Lithuanian Theater.

“In seven years, the Klaipėda Theater Festival has become a significant player in the Baltic countries, convincingly summarizing the current affairs of Lithuanian theater and attracting guests not only from neighboring countries, but also from more distant European countries and other corners of the world. This year, the Lithuanian program focuses on the interpretation of multifaceted reality through the prism of the individual, noting that the same phenomena, observed from different perspectives, look different. It is especially important to remind that now, when populism is flourishing in all areas, “current” topics are being exploited, and reality often surpasses any possible theater in terms of both content and form,” observed Lauma Mellēna, who is visiting the festival for the first time from neighboring Latvia. Bartkevich.

Dom Rimeika’s photo/Festival “TheAtrium”

These are just a few reviews about the international theater event in Klaipėda, which is gaining stronger positions. This year, guests, some of whom have been following the festival for several years, will be able to see ten works by Lithuanian theaters – some conceptual, small-scale, and some large productions that are technically complex. The showcase of Lithuanian theater will begin with the play “Requiem” (dir. D. Krymovs) by the hosts of the festival, the Klaipėda Drama Theater, and continue with the sound and movement play “Out of the Box” (dir. K. Novikova) by the creative association “Zuvies akis” (dir. K. Novikova), the Lithuanian national drama theater will present “Fossilia” (dir. E. Švedkauskaitė), OKT/Vilnius City Theater will present the play “Dog and Monkey” (dir. P. Pedajas), Vilnius State Small Theater will show the play “Neustikimoji” (dir. N. Jasinskas) , “Solo Teatras” will bring “Buddha in the Attic” (dir. B.Mar), Vilnius City Dance Theater “Low Air” will invite you to “Truth – Dąsa” (idea, choreography and performance by E. Senkuvienė, M. Eidrigevičius, G. Snitkutė ), the Vilnius Old Theater will present to the audience “Caligula” (dir. J. Brazys) and “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead” (dir. J. Butusovas), and the independent dance organization “Be kompanijos” will show “Yet another day in paradise” (dir. . L. Karvelis).

Each showing of the performance will be accompanied by networking time, every year “TheATRIUM” creates an informal, attractive space for guests from abroad and Lithuanian theater creators to meet directly – to communicate, make connections and exchange ideas.

The showcase of Lithuanian theater in the “TheATRIUM” program was created with the idea of ​​strengthening the international positions of Lithuanian theater, but at the same time, this part of the festival is a great opportunity for citizens and theater lovers from all over Western Lithuania to see a wide range of works by the country’s theater creators in a concentrated period of time.