MMLAB performansas PILĖNAI

PILĖNAI*

Pilėnai was a pagan castle in Lithuania that was attacked in the 14th century. After two days of fierce fighting, the Pilėnai realised that the invasion of the attacking crusaders had been successful, and, unwilling to surrender, they embarked on a desperate plan – to turn the guns on themselves and their relatives. This is one of the most famous acts of collective suicide, which has become an important symbol of resistance for Lithuanians, and whose significance was particularly heightened in the context of the Soviet occupation.

As the artists Matas Dirginčius and Naubertas Jasinskas reconsider the history of Pilėnai, the axis of their analysis becomes the constructs of heroic tradition and patriarchy. Historically, in the face of the threat of war and the danger of extinction, the ideas of conservative traditional masculinity become stronger. As modern men’s self-understanding moves away from the standards established by patriarchy, economic and political threats exacerbate the conflict of identity.

Aware of the possibility of a repetition of the history of the Pilėnai and the threat to our nation, the performance deconstructs the rigid notion of masculinity and asks the question, how can we create new models of interactions that emphasize openness, sensitivity and empathy?

*not an opera, but a one-part performance

CREATIVE TEAM

Idea, dramaturgy, performativity: Matas Dirginčius, Naubertas Jasinskas
Composer: Agnė Matulevičiūtė
Set and light designer: Dainius Urbonis
Costume designer: Martina Kryževičiūtė
Movement consultant: Paweł Sakowicz
Producer: Rusnė Kregždaitė
Head of communication: Rasa Kregždaitė
Production assistant: Greta Senkutė
Visual photographer:Kęstutis Žilionis
Visual video artist: Ričard Žigis
Visual design: Ieva Sutkutė
Technical manager: Vladislav Bajaznyj
Photographer: Martynas Norvaišas

Premier

2nd May, 2024

Produced by MMLAB and “Bilietų nėra”

Partners: Kaunas City Chamber Theatre, Šiauliai State Drama Theater, VU TFAI Molėtai Astronomical Observatory, bookstore chain “VAGA”

Financed by the Lithuanian Council for Culture, Vilnius City Municipality, Šiauliai City Municipality