WE BEGIN OUR 69TH SEASON: A THEATRE YOU NEVER OUTGROW
Summer is drawing to a close, and a new chapter is beginning at Vilnius Puppet Theatre “Lėlė” as the theatre welcomes its 69th season. The months ahead will bring premieres, tours in Lithuania and abroad, encounters with other theatres, while this season’s repertoire will repeatedly remind audiences that puppetry is not an art form solely for children.
Although today this performing art is often associated primarily with theatre for children, historically its audience has been much broader. In the European puppetry tradition, performances were created for adults for centuries: puppets were used to tell stories, comment on current social issues, and explore satire, grotesque and political criticism. Contemporary puppet theatre continues this tradition, with puppetry becoming a means of addressing complex and sometimes uncomfortable subjects, while searching for new theatrical languages that can resonate with adult audiences as well.
From Varėna to Ljubljana
“This season will bring plenty of travel, premieres and creative ventures. As every year, we will visit audiences both young and old in cities and towns across Lithuania, while also presenting Lithuanian creativity abroad,” says the theatre’s Artistic Director, Paulius Tamolė.
In September, Vilnius Puppet Theatre “Lėlė” will embark on its first tour of the season. At the International Street Puppet Theatre Festival in Panevėžys, the theatre will present The Tale of the Little Turtle (dir. Algirdas Mikutis).
At the end of September, the theatre will travel to Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, to take part in the international puppet theatre festival Lutke, where the production for adults The Choice (dir. Gintarė Radvilavičiūtė) will be presented.
In early October, the theatre will traditionally take part in the Dalia Tamulevičiūtė Professional Theatre Festival in Varėna, presenting last season’s premiere The Bogeyman (dir. Milda Mičiulytė). Later, the actors will also travel to Šalčininkai and Kaišiadorys.
Special Experiences for Adults
In its 69th season, Vilnius Puppet Theatre “Lėlė” will invite adults to rediscover the art of puppetry. From 17 to 19 September, audiences will be welcomed to the first premiere of the season – LOW LIFE | A Low-Level Cabaret (dir. Mark Down), a production for adults created in collaboration with the renowned British puppetry company Blind Summit Theatre.
This season will also see the return of the theatre’s long-standing guests Operomanija with the sound performance Glaistas (dir. Mantas Jančiauskas), which invites audiences to experience Vilnius and its history in a different way – through sound.
Premieres for Young Audiences
October will bring another premiere, Paukštelė Majer (dir. Justina Jukonytė), while in November audiences will encounter one of the best-known childhood tales in a completely new form: an original and contemporary production of The Three Little Pigs (dir. Šarūnas Datenis).
The theatre will also celebrate its birthday in October. To mark the occasion, colleagues from Liepāja Theatre have been invited to Vilnius to present their production on the “Lėlė” stage.
The theatre’s creative team promises that the repertoire of the 69th season will have something for both families with children and adults seeking a different kind of theatrical experience. Audiences are invited to meet at Vilnius Puppet Theatre “Lėlė” – a theatre you never outgrow.