Director Jonis Vaitkas – 80: “Have no illusions that you do not have that beast in you” | Tradition

One of the vital mature Lithuanian administrators educated a complete group of actors and administrators who now type the elite of latest Lithuanian theater. J.Vaitkumis and I discuss not solely in regards to the upcoming anniversary, but additionally in regards to the play “Convert. Depend Potocki from Vilnius”, the premiere of which can happen on June 15 and 16. J. Vaitkus is the creative director of this efficiency, Albertas Vidžiūnas is the director.

J. Vaitkä is interviewed by theater skilled Ingrida Ragelskienė.

– Your philosophy, braveness, civic stance, and worldview laid the foundations for contemporary Lithuanian theater. How do you assess the processes going down within the present Lithuanian theater? What do you see in his future?

– Now the theater in Lithuania, and never solely, is at a feverish crossroads. It appears like it is time to uncover your true face, to understand an concept, a vocation, a mission. As a result of each residing individual has a mission, a path to observe. If they do not notice it, there are different choices. It’s painful to investigate such instances. Don’t depend on the consciousness of broken, fallen folks. They perceive your speech, dedication to the theater or some concept in a fragmentary means.

The crossroad is now apparent, it’s evidenced by the works: hysterical leaping from one style to a different, makes an attempt to be attention-grabbing, difficult, seen, marketed on the Fb rest room wall… There are principally no intact folks left – they’ve change into silent or don’t see the purpose in collaborating in that “dance of loss of life”. You discuss to an individual and suppose when he’ll “stab” you, provoke you. Subsequently, I strive to not talk with unreliable folks. Unreliable by his works. Phrases and deeds are various things.

In the meanwhile, there are possibly 5 critically working folks within the Lithuanian theater. They usually typically wander, pondering that they know and know every part. That cost is such a seize for the froth. In any case, with out errors, falls, losses, there is no such thing as a actual search and understanding of self-worth. All my life I believed that an individual ought to have a prosecutor, a choose, and a lawyer. And a guardian angel, even a provocateur. Man tends to snooze, develop fats rapidly, succumb to anthropophagic voraciousness, silence his conscience.

There are not any benchmarks in creativity, there’s solely a chance to understand one’s personal insignificance. I’ve by no means appreciated reward, though it’s good to listen to phrase. However not from a hypocrite, however one who speaks sincerely and truthfully. Braveness comes from realizing that you just can not do in any other case, once you overcome the will to please each your self and the sweet-tongued.

Private album picture/Jonas Vaitkus and his performances

That is how the stench, emanating from all corners and portals, was swallowed up. Individuals simply soften that they’re so lovely to one another. I am simply dripping fats from such pleasure. And it appears to me that there must be tears that cleanse an individual. There are folks, together with younger folks, who see, really feel, however are silent, don’t dare, don’t perceive how such a mass might be influenced. Even animals have extra heat, braveness to defend their properties. On the earth there’s an everlasting wrestle between humanity and beastliness. And you may’t escape from it anyplace.

– Have you ever heard the accusation that the older technology let go of that thread and allowed this “feverish crossroads” to emerge?

– I’ve by no means relied on vulgarity, rudeness in my performances. Cruelty on stage is like an injection. The operation is completed when suppuration happens. When you begin to use nudity as a method of influencing the viewer, it’s tantamount to poisoning an individual who nonetheless has infantile sincerity. Generally it’s extremely unusual for me to look at such performances.

– And the way a lot of your self do you see in your college students?

– I see some issues, and never solely in my college students. Apparently, adopted my work. And never solely mine – Nekrošius, Tamulevičiūtė, who labored critically and responsibly. And my braveness… As a result of I mightn’t do in any other case. It was vital for me to speak regarding what excites and hurts me. My braveness comes from despair. Why do I stage the identical play three or 4 occasions, go from one theater to a different? Not from life.

Photograph by D.Stankevičius/Jonas Vaitkus

– Your eightieth birthday is significant each on your contributions to the Lithuanian theater and on your dedication to take up the worldwide theme that unfolds in Šolomas Zelmanavičius’s dramatic legend “Ger Tzedek. Depend Potocki from Vilnius”. What conjures up this distinctive materials?

– Initially, the significance of religions and religion. From how deeply an individual accepts religion, one can see its essence. If for the sake of religion an individual can sacrifice one thing, possibly even himself, his well-being, then you definately perceive that he’s not hypocritical, as a result of religion offers power.

I can not say whether or not his religion is correct or good. In Š. Zelmanavičius’s play, two faiths collide – Hebrew and Christian. Each faiths have many factors of frequent floor should you respect and hearken to them.

– Is the fashionable, typically disaffected viewers prepared for such materials?

– It doesn’t matter. your troubles Prepare… It appears to me that the play expresses the publicity of two beginnings – the human and the misanthropic. Do not be below the phantasm that you do not have that beast within you.

Photograph by D. Matvejev/Director Jonas Vaitkus

– The viewers calls every of your premieres a creative provocation. What retains you within the vanguard?

– This isn’t the avant-garde, I really feel my errors. Not removed from what I detest. However you will have the appropriate to decide on. If an individual has open nerve cells, delicate, ungrown cuticles, fats, he feels it.

Thank God, I had lecturers who supported me and have been pleased with my rising expertise. I’m grateful to them for that.

I needed to be a dancer, a singer, a musician, and an actor. Directing appears to mix all of the issues that I mightn’t do by myself. And the director’s misfortune is severe self-analysis. But additionally happiness.

– What qualities do you admire of the actor Maksim Tukhvatulin, to whom you gave the function of the convert, Depend Potocki?

– Youth, optimistic naivety and sincerity. And he would not have absolute skilled expertise, which often depraves an individual. He would not really feel like he can do every part. I do not want anything… He’s a docile actor, it is simpler for the director when the actor would not argue on a regular basis. I would like people who find themselves not afraid to boldly go on stage, boldly expose themselves spiritually.

You’ll by no means know an individual nicely… I need to rejoice the work of stage designer Artūrs Šimonis, costume designer Jolanta Rimkutė, and composer Rita Mačiliūnaitė. I hope we’ll keep away from exterior decorativeness within the efficiency.

–​​​​​​​ Who’s the hitherto undiscovered individual of the Lithuanian theater, the playwright Šolomas Zelmanavičius, who died within the Kaunas Jewish ghetto throughout the battle, whom you’re bringing to the theater nearly 100 years later?

– Artwork was not sufficient for him, apparently, he needed to say a really severe factor – that religions are associated. Religion has a standard attribute – Love. And doesn’t encourage cruelty. Religion encourages one to be a warrior, a defender, however not a conqueror. Nobody needed to find this substance – it’s harmful. The whole lot.

Photograph by Greta Skaraitiene/BNS/Jonas Vaitkus

– Do you consider that an artist’s work can have an effect on an individual’s consciousness, make him change, renew himself?

– Through the Kaunas interval, folks got here to the premier from throughout Lithuania. Now the theater is desacralized. I watched Miltinis rehearse the “Dance of Demise” for a yr. Each the viewers and the actors seemed on the scene in another way. I noticed that totally different occasions can not coexist in the identical area. Whoever doesn’t really feel this has misplaced the understanding of what soul, sacredness, religion is.

Theater is a spot the place life and loss of life collide in different folks’s tales. That collision in entrance of the viewers is usually extra actual than in actual life. And it’s potential solely due to proficient actors who’ve stored open the nerve of humanity, sensitivity to folks’s destinies, dedication to their occupation.