Laura Kutkaitė: Teach Me

Director Laura Kutkaitė, who has created the productions “The Silence of the Sirens” and “Teiresias’ Breast” at the Lithuanian National Drama Theatre, presents her new production, “Teach Me”. Kutkaitė is creating a provocative work about school and says that theatre is a fertile place to reconsider our attitudes towards education. As in her previous work, she combines a philosophical perspective with humour, using social criticism, dramaturgy developed through a devised process*, and tragicomic images that emerge during improvisations with the actors.

Before beginning rehearsals with the actors, Kutkaitė visited various Lithuanian secondary schools and spent school days in classes with students in grades 9–11. The creators also draw inspiration from thoughts and stories sent in by teachers and students. They say that everyone will recognise their own school experiences—both the painful ones and the most idiotic.

“Teach Me” asks: What kind of society does today’s school shape? How are school and a factory alike? Can we think of ourselves as factory products? Where should we draw the line between education and indoctrination? Do we, as a society, want to entrench a culture of obedience and subordination, or do we dare to imagine a future in which education truly liberates?

“Teach Me” invites audiences to spend an unusual “day at school” together. The production is dedicated to the memory of Gabrielė Skiriūtė.

*Dramaturgy developed through a devised process is a collaborative approach in which the script is not written in advance, but created collectively during rehearsals.

The production features works or excerpts from them: Thank you: