The Island That Does Not Exist

For the first time in the history of Panevėžys theatre, Juozas Miltinis Drama Theatre and Panevėžys Musical Theatre are joining forces to tell the story of the legendary theatre figure Juozas Miltinis and the beginnings of the theatre he created. The production at Juozas Miltinis Drama Theatre features live music performed by the Panevėžys Musical Theatre Orchestra.

Today, the names of Juozas Miltinis, Donatas Banionis, Vaclovas Blėdis, Eugenija Šulgaitė, Regina Zdanavičiūtė and other legends of Panevėžys theatre are part of Lithuania’s cultural canon. Yet few people know how it all began: how the founders of Panevėžys theatre lived during their first years of creative work, how they became actors, how they survived the Second World War, and how the theatre they nurtured took shape—a theatre they regarded as their sanctuary of art and an island where they could take refuge from external political pressure, cultural bleakness and financial hardship.

The story of the very beginnings of Panevėžys theatre is entwined with many myths and legends. It is said that when the young actors and their teacher, Juozas Miltinis, arrived in Panevėžys, they were housed in the monastery on Marijonų Street. There, they truly began to live like monks devoted to art: giving themselves completely to art and constant learning, with no right to start families, mix with the outside world or have fun. Everything was shared—their home, food and money, as well as all their hardships and joys. Not everyone endured it, but those who did became legends.

The creators of the production decided to look back at those difficult years when the theatre was being formed and invite audiences to explore the myth of young, passionate idealists, ready to sacrifice their lives for great art, which they saw as an island of the world’s essence. An island that does not exist. An island they created through self-sacrifice so they would not be lost or drown in the everyday reality that weighed them down and strangled them.

The production features live music performed by the Panevėžys Musical Theatre Orchestra. The project is funded by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania.

In 2022, Albinas Kėleris was nominated for a Golden Stage Cross in the Actor category for his role as the Maestro in The Island That Does Not Exist. In 2022, composer Mantvydas Leonas Pranulis received a Golden Stage Cross for the music for The Island That Does Not Exist.

Reviews of the production: Aušra Kaminskaitė, “A Production About Miltinis Masterfully Avoids Taking a More Explicit Position” – LRT; “Holy Magic in Contemporary Theatre” (7md.lt); “Only Miltinis Can Drive Miltinis Out” – Menų faktūra (menufaktura.lt); Jūratė Visockaitė, “The Island That Was” (literaturairmenas.lt); Daiva Šabasevičienė, “The Island That Is. Miltinis at Miltinis Theatre” – Vilniaus galerija. Coverage of the production: “My Struggle” – Menų faktūra (menufaktura.lt); “My Struggle” – Menų faktūra (menufaktura.lt) (in English).