In mid-May, the international theatre festival “TheATRIUM” will return for its 9th year in a row, bringing a celebration of theatre to the seaside. Each year, the festival first reveals its face to the audience: a unique expression reflecting the fusion of prevailing moods and emotional states within society. It can become a perspective, a lens, or even a starting point for discussions about the performances featured in the programme. This year, “TheATRIUM” introduces a slogan that is both daunting and provocative: “To Meet the Beast”.
“What would we do if we came face to face with the beast? Would we fight together as a single organism or pretend to be dead? Would we raise our hands in the air, trying to appear bigger than we really are? Would we look for someone to blame among ourselves? Or would we discover that the beast is also inside us – it has been lurking there all along, waiting for an opportunity to break free through the thin veneer of humanity?” These are just a few of the rhetorical questions named by “TheATRIUM” artistic director Gintaras Grajauskas in response to this year’s slogan.
What is the beast, and where does it hide? The manifesto of the 9th “TheATRIUM” festival urges us to closely examine everyone and everything we perceive as threats to our existence. According to “TheATRIUM” organisers, some beasts lurk at the edges of our familiar and safe world, appearing as strangers or unfamiliar concepts. Others wander and crawl beneath the skin and bones of every human being, taking shape as our darkest, most secret thoughts. Still others are born of hatred and greed. They feed on lies and fear and are capable of transforming into forms with horrible, destructive power. Regardless of what a confrontation with the beast reveals, the courage to meet its gaze marks the beginning of the triumph of truth.
The visual identity of the 9th “TheATRIUM” was created by Swedish illustrator, graphic designer and satirical illustration artist Karin Z. Sunvisson. Reflecting on the concept of encountering the beast, the artist explained that, to her, the beast is best identified as fear. “To me, the beast is what is unknown: the beast is fear itself: shapeless and constantly changing. I wanted to illustrate this idea by creating an image-riddle, one that does not have a single specific meaning. All its elements are recognisable, yet when placed together, they become clues, a dark puzzle, unclear and unsettling. The human mind constantly seeks patterns. It is a way to predict danger but also a source of irrational fears and prejudice. With the image I have created, I aim to activate this dual nature.”
Using richly layered symbols in order to construct her riddle, the artist hopes her creation will encourage festival visitors to spend more time reflecting on the invitation “To Meet the Beast” and to explore its possible manifestations. “At the bottom of the image, Apollo’s phrase “Temet Nosce” (“Know thyself”) can be seen. It reminds us that in order to understand the world (or others), we must first understand ourselves. And to understand ourselves, we must also understand the world. Perhaps what we perceive as bestial in others, we also conceal within ourselves. I interpret the slogan “To Meet the Beast” as a call for collective introspection,” Sunvisson concluded.
The festival, which annually attracts not only a large number of local theatre-goers but also visitors from other cities, consists of two parts: the Lithuanian Theatre Showcase and the International Programme. This year, the Lithuanian Theatre Showcase will present nine diverse stage productions within the span of one week. The International Programme will include four performances from Ukraine, Spain, France and Poland. Originally conceived with the aim of presenting Lithuanian stage works to international theatre professionals, the Showcase has also become an excellent opportunity for local audiences to experience performances by other Lithuanian theatres without leaving their seaside city. Registration of foreign theatre professionals for this year’s Lithuanian Theatre Showcase is still ongoing, with over 40 guests from all over the world already on the list, the most distant coming from as far away as Japan.
The international segment of the festival focuses each year on selecting the most professionally produced performances in terms of both content and artistic expression. They allow us to see what foreign theatre-makers live by, how the most relevant themes in different countries vary, and how they coincide. It is a theatre that demands the viewer’s full attention, engagement, and an active inner dialogue with the material. For the festival’s organisers, full theatre halls at “TheATRIUM” are the best proof that the audience is not only ready but eager to engage with the programme each year. “Theatre is a space where every person, even the smallest among us, can feel solidarity and a sense of belonging with others. It gives us the strength to endure difficult times and helps us realise that we are not alone in an increasingly chaotic world,” emphasised the festival’s artistic director, highlighting one of theatre’s most essential roles in today’s world.
