Theatre Festival
Theater Festival #3
From June 5 to 8, 2024, the theater festival "No.3" will take place in Daugavpils, featuring performances known for their unusual forms and relevant, necessary content. In addition to the performances, the festival's organizers will invite participants to engage in discussions with theater professionals. The festival, initiated by Dirty Deal Teatro and Gertrudes ielas teatris, is a traveling event: in 2022, it took place in Ventspils, inviting people for important conversations about the theater industry; in 2023, it moved to Riga and Liepāja, and this year, the festival will be held in Daugavpils. Theater festival "Nr.3" is a collaboration between Dirty Deal Teatro, Gertrudes ielas teatris, Latvian Puppet Theater, and Daugavpils Theater. The festival's creators share the belief that, during times of societal division caused by economic and political upheavals, theater is the perfect place for people to meet, listen to diverse voices, and imagine a better future together.
The festival's focus is on change, both internal and external. This year's slogan, "Latgale is Close," symbolizes a call to shift the perception of this region. The slogan serves as a reminder to both festival visitors and Latgale residents that Latgale is neither unreachable nor foreign in the context of Latvia and Europe.
The festival will open at Daugavpils Theater on June 5 at 7:00 p.m. with a performance of "The Witch" (dir. Andrejs Jarovojs) by Gertrudes ielas teatris, featuring Aspazija's poetry set to a pulsating hip-hop beat. The creative team highlights themes of female experience through voice and rhythm, inspired by the rich language of Aspazija's writing.
On June 6, Dirty Deal Teatro will present the interactive performance "A Conference for Good People in the Universe" (dir. Valters Sīlis), where each audience member will have the chance to take on the role of a conference participant. That same day, Daugavpils Theater will showcase the psychological drama "Lies Without Rules" (dir. Oļegs Šapošņikovs), a performance about manipulation, lies, and their consequences through the microcosm of a love triangle.
On June 7, Dirty Deal Teatro will present "Inheritance", a saga about capability and incapability (Miglājs AJV), which reflects on the invisible burdens each person carries due to various life events. Gertrudes ielas teatris will perform the movement piece "This is All We Can Do" (dir. Andrejs Jarovojs), inspired by techno and electronic club culture, focusing on solidarity and inclusive humanity – elements often lacking in our daily interactions.
The festival will conclude on June 8 with Latvian Puppet Theater's performance "Sleep, Pillow!" (dir. Laila Šmukste), designed for toddlers aged 9 months to 2 years. This sensory-based performance introduces young children to the world of theater through sight, sound, touch, and movement on stage.
After each performance, audience members are invited to participate in a conversation with the creators and performers to share their impressions. Additionally, three discussions are planned for theater professionals: "The Role of Theater in Strengthening and Creating a Unified Language and Cultural Space," "What Changes Are Needed to Make Performing Arts Accessible to Children and Youth Across Latvia," and "The Role of Theater Criticism and Research in the Industry."
The programme of the Theatre festival Nr.2 will consist of performances based on Latvian original dramaturgy and is co-organized by Dirty Deal Teatro, Ģertrūdes ielas teātris, Latvian Puppet Theatre and National Theatre of Latvia.
Second edition of the festival will provide an opportunity to experience 8 great stories of Latvia today:
Thursday, June 1:
19.00 Rūta Dišlere “Without Morals. With Puppets”, dir. Mārtiņš Eihe, Edgars Niklasons, Vija Blūzma, Edgars Kaufelds @ Latvijas Leļļu teātris, Rīgas Latviešu biedrības nams, Lielā zāle
https://www.lelluteatris.lv/en/repertoire/latvian-troupe/shows-for-adults/without-morals-with-puppets
Friday, June 2:
19.00 Valters Sīlis “Mom!”, dir. Valters Sīlis @ Dirty Deal Teatro https://dirtydealteatro.lv/en/performances/performances-1/mom
19.00 Rasa Bugavičūte-Pēce “Song Festival”, dir. Matīss Budovskis @ Liepājas teātris
https://liepajasteatris.lv/izrade/dziesmu-svetki/
Saturday, June 3:
19.00 Ance Muižniece “Song of Whale”, dir. Rūdolfs Apse @ Latvijas Leļļu teātris, Rīgas Latviešu biedrības nams, Kamīnzāle
https://www.lelluteatris.lv/lv/izrades/latviesu-trupa/kaminzale-rigas-latviesu-biedribas-nama/vala-dziesma
21.00 Inga Gaile “Skin”– 100, concert-performance, dir. Andrejs Jarovojs @ Ģertrūdes ielas teātris
https://git.lv/en/events/view-public/945
Sunday, June 4:
19.00 Sofija Meļņikova “Drama Queen”, dir. Sofija Meļņikova, Valters Sīlis @ Dirty Deal Teatro
https://dirtydealteatro.lv/en/performances/performances-1/drama-queen
19.00 Ģirts Krūmiņš, Vitālijs Ščanņikovs, Jevgeņija Šermeņeva, Nellija Visocka “Vientuļās planētas sala”, dir. Jevgeņija Šermeņeva @ KatlZ, Ģertrūdes ielas teātris
https://git.lv/en/events/view-public/940
Monday, June 5:
19.00 Artūrs Dīcis “Ričards. Nekā personīga”, dir. Elmārs Seņkovs @ Latvijas Nacionālais teātris
https://teatris.lv/izrade/ricards-neka-personiga/