At the end of June and the beginning of July, the prestigious international theatre festival „Dei Due Mondi“ took place for the 67th time in the beautiful Italian city of Spoleto. Young actors and directors from all over Europe had the opportunity to showcase their works in the competitive youth program „European Young Theatre.“ This part of the festival, dedicated to young artists, has been organized for the eleventh time.
The Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre (LMTA) was selected to participate in the program with a bold and provocative play titled „Shopping and F*cking,“ directed by academy student and director Jonas Kuprevičius. The festival program was diverse and interesting, presenting the best academic works of the 2023-2024 school year from high theatre schools in Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Scotland, and Lithuania. The students from the Acting and Directing Department of the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre won second place at this international festival. The play was produced by the NGO „Judesio ir minties teatras.“
The play „Shopping and F*cking“ features talented young actors, students of Professor Gintaras Varnas – Rūta Jonikaitė, Šarūnas Rapolas Meliešius, Samuelis Valentinas Sauchatas, and Nojus Mikalauskas. Written by Mark Ravenhill, the play is a strong, shocking, and powerful drama that delves into issues of consumerism, addiction, and relationships in contemporary society. The play was directed by the talented young director Jonas Kuprevičius, whose creative approach, stage aesthetics, and ability to work with young actors contributed to the success of the play on the international stage. The young actors demonstrated not only excellent acting skills and professional readiness but also a profound understanding of relevant social issues.
Director Jonas Kuprevičius shared his thoughts on participating in the international festival: „It is always great to go to Italy and breathe its air, but this time the trip was special because of participating in the European Young Theatre competition. We presented one of our creative works. It is an honor to represent your country when presenting your work abroad. This time, we felt these emotions and once again showed the level of Lithuanian theatre among students. We felt the recognition from the applause and congratulations after the performance. To be honest, it was a bit strange to receive so much attention, but it was also gratifying to continue to respect Lithuanian theatre and build new relationships that I hope will grow into collaborative projects in the future.“
Actress Rūta Jonikaitė expressed her joy and creative privilege in returning to Spoleto for the second time: „It was a pleasure to see this charming town again, which comes alive for this festival and is filled with a multitude of artists. You can feel how it starts breathing art again. It was interesting to see what our peers from other countries create, what topics are important to them. I feel that I have expanded my horizons professionally and am extremely grateful for that.“
Actor Nojus Mikalauskas reflected on the experience of participating in the festival: „Sitting in the academy, I rarely think about how different theatre is outside of it and especially abroad. Besides the obvious pleasures in Italy – good weather, delicious food, the wonderfully beautiful city of Spoleto, I am also glad to get to know the people of that country and gain experience not only from Italian theatre students but also from theatre students from other European countries. Participating in this festival for the first time forced me to look at my profession both theoretically and practically out of the box. Each day of the festival was filled with new experiences, and as the end of the week approached, I wished the days were a bit longer, but in one way or another, I can sweep the dust off the pleasant memories shelf in my imagination and place this summer moment there. Thank you.“
Actor Šarūnas Rapolas Meliešius shared his thoughts on participating in the festival: „Participating in the Spoleto High Theatre Schools festival was an amazing opportunity to meet young foreign theatre creators, their work, and see how theatre can bring people from completely different parts of the world together and excite them equally. No matter what language is spoken, no matter in which country the work is created.“
Actor Samuelis Valentinas Sauchatas highlighted the valuable professional experiences gained from participating in the festival: „The opportunity to participate in this festival provided me with several important professional experiences and contributed to a broader understanding of different theatre trends and styles in other European art schools. It also greatly excited and allowed me to improve a newly discovered professional challenge: acting in English. The bold works of other students also inspired me: a lot of initiative to create risky, personal, and painful topics, experimenting. In the evenings, we had valuable discussions about theatre in different theatre schools. Such horizon-expanding experiences not only educate a young artist but also provide an opportunity to bring good experiences to the Lithuanian context and share them. And about the opportunity to see the beauty of Italy and other performances, I won’t even start.“
Spoleto and Assisi: Gems of Italian Culture
The journey of young artists was enriched with cultural impressions from Spoleto and Assisi, which provided not only artistic but also spiritual enrichment. Spoleto and Assisi are not only beautiful cities but also important to Italian culture. Spoleto is known for its annual „Festival dei Due Mondi“ – one of the most important artistic events in Italy, attracting world-renowned artists. The city is also famous for its historic cathedral and the Ponte delle Torri bridge. This city is inseparable from the cultural and artistic life of Italy.
After the festival, the young artists and their professors visited the famous Assisi Cathedral, where they could admire Italian culture and history. The students had the opportunity to stroll through the narrow streets of the old town of Assisi, feel the unique atmosphere of this medieval city, and admire the stunning landscapes of Umbria. Spoleto and Assisi are important cities for Italian culture, known for their rich history, architecture, and artistic heritage. This trip not only enriched their cultural experience but also provided inspiration for future creative works.
The Importance of Presenting Lithuanian Culture Abroad
Participating in international cultural events like the „European Young Theatre“ festival provides an opportunity to showcase the talent and creativity of young Lithuanian artists, develop international relations, and collaboration. It also promotes cultural dialogue about contemporary stage art. Through this play, young Lithuanian actors not only demonstrated a high artistic level and professional readiness but also showed how Lithuanian artists can critically reflect on global and socially sensitive issues.
Acknowledgments
Participating in the „European Young Theatre“ festival in Spoleto provided students from the Acting and Directing Department of the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre with a unique opportunity to showcase their talent on the international stage and gain invaluable experience. The successful performance not only demonstrated their professionalism but also affirmed Lithuania’s reputation as a high-quality theatre country. The Acting and Directing Department of the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre and Judesio ir minties teatras sincerely thank the Vilnius City Municipality and Danguolė and Viktoras Butkus for the funding provided. This support enabled young artists to participate in the international festival in Italy.
In conclusion, the participation of Lithuanian artists in the „European Young Theatre“ festival in Spoleto was a significant achievement that not only showcased their talent and professionalism but also promoted Lithuanian culture on the international stage. The experience gained from this festival will undoubtedly contribute to the growth and development of the young artists and foster cultural exchange and collaboration in the future.