Liepāja Puppet Theatre to Participate in Lithuanian Festival with Sensory Play “Me and My Mum”

This weekend, Liepāja Puppet Theatre will travel to Lithuania to take part in the Puppet Theatre Festival in Panevėžys, where they will present their sensory play "Me and My Mum." With the number of students studying puppet theatre as a profession dwindling and fewer festivals dedicated to this art form, Edgars Niklasons, Artistic Director of Liepāja Puppet Theatre, highlights the importance of regular international exchanges to safeguard the traditions and technical skills of puppet theatre.

Liepāja Puppet Theatre has been a long-standing participant in the Panevėžys Puppet Theatre Festival during its 35-year history. This week, they return to the festival to showcase "Me and My Mum" (2020), directed by Lithuanian artist Karolina Čomičienė (née Jurkštaitė), on 6 September. This pioneering production is the first of its kind in Latvia, specifically designed for babies as young as nine months. Thanks to its innovative concept and the collaborative efforts of Lithuanian creatives, including set designer Angelina Furmaniuk-Savickiene and composer Kristijonas Lučinskis, the play has already been performed multiple times at festivals in Lithuania. Actors Ilze Jura and Denisa Braša will perform the show in Lithuanian.

Panevėžys Puppet Theatre organizes the international puppet festival “Lėlė gatvėjė” or “Puppets in the Streets” every two years, bringing the art of puppetry to life in various public spaces. The festival, which has become a cherished tradition in Panevėžys, gathers professional puppet troupes from around the world. Running from 5 to 8 September, this year’s festival will feature 13 performances for audiences of all ages. The Panevėžys Puppet Theatre holds the belief that “Whatever is born from goodness and beauty stays true, and those who create it grow into goodness themselves.”

“In a time where the number of students pursuing careers in puppet theatre is declining, and professional arts festivals are increasingly shifting towards visual theatre with puppetry as just one component, the sustainability of puppet theatre as an independent discipline comes into question. Can it sustain as such? Regular meetings and exchanges between theatres are vital for preserving both technical skills and the staging of performances that uphold classical puppet theatre techniques,” stresses Artistic Director of Liepāja Puppet Theatre Edgars Niklasons, reflecting on participation in this festival, that underscores Liepāja Puppet Theatre's commitment to keeping the art form alive and vibrant.

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