JMDT | ALIASKA rež. Augustas Gornatkevičius

Harold Pinter's ALIASKA one-part drama

The director of the young theater generation, Augustas Gornatkevičius, chose Juozas Miltinis for his new play at the Drama Theater Harold Pinter's play "Alaska". The play by one of the most influential representatives of modern dramaturgy, the English playwright who won the Nobel Prize for Literature, is characterized by restrained, economical dialogue and pauses that convey more than words. With pauses that are important not only for the text, but also for the story being told.

I have plenty of examples when, during global catastrophes and epidemics, creators turn to the genres of fantasy and futurism. Our pandemic time is no exception, which has recently sparked a huge interest in zombie apocalypse-themed movies. However, a more subtle and often encountered theme even in Lithuanian theater is the separation of the individual and the state of sleep. An isolated person who does not control his time and life becomes a reflection of our state of mind today. Thus, in its own time (1982), next to the legendary zombies of Michael Jackson's "Thriller", Pinter's "Alaska" appeared, which describes an epidemic of sleep. This real-life disease was last recorded 100 years ago, as a result of the Spanish flu pandemic. It is not surprising that, as the current pandemic subsides, we take images that are close to us, talking about the consequences and lasting phenomena of past trauma.

The exciting story of one woman's fate affects the viewer so emotionally, trying to identify and get into her feelings, both symbolically. Sleeping sickness becomes a tool for the playwright, and at the same time for the director, to talk about understanding the flow of life, maturity as stagnation and lost human time.

Premiere – 2022. May 20, 21.

Juoz Miltinis Drama Theater Small Hall

"A Kind of Alaska" was inspired by Awakenings by Oliver Sachs MD, first published in 1973 by Gerald Duckworth and Co.

The project was partially financed by the Lithuanian Culture Council.

On the AllEvents portal you can always Buy tickets to an event Theater JMDT | ALIASKA rež. Augustas Gornatkevičius, Panevėžys, Juozo Miltinio dramos teatras March 14

* The description translation is done automatically. There may be inaccuracies. Be sure to check the event description on the ticket store website when buying tickets.