Threshold Rituals

A young couple grieving the loss of their baby decide to move from the big city to the town of Stounshedas. They hope this “escape” will help them leave the past behind sooner and give them the strength to rebuild their crumbling relationship. But is that really still possible? Was what happened to them a sign sent by someone? And is it a coincidence that they chose to come to Stounshedas in particular?

Stounshedas is no ordinary town. Nor are the people who live there. Nature plays a special role here: through it, the otherworldly speaks to us, sending signs and warnings, and reshaping things. Perhaps it is a natural anomaly, perhaps a cursed place—or perhaps, on the contrary, it is a purgatory, a waystation between worlds. Whatever the case, everything here has its order; every action has a consequence, the laws of nature apply, and nothing happens by chance. So, what awaits the newcomers?

According to director Paulius Pinigis: “The performance explores an exceptionally sensitive and complex subject: a person in a liminal state. It is a state of being ‘in between’—when the old way of life no longer applies, but a new one has not yet emerged. This is felt particularly acutely when grieving the loss of a loved one, going through a divorce, trying to let go of unfulfilled life goals or dreams, receiving a diagnosis of a serious illness, or experiencing an identity or existential crisis. In one form or another, being in a liminal state is unavoidable for people. The big question is how we should emerge from it and go on living. That is what this performance is about. How do we keep going? How do we find a new path? How do we find the strength to move forward? How do we avoid getting stuck in a liminal state? And if we do get stuck there, does that mean we are still living, or simply waiting for everything to end?”

Paulius Pinigis is a director and actor from Panevėžys. In 2015, he completed acting studies (course leader V. Masalskis) at Klaipėda University. In 2016, he completed a master’s degree in directing at Klaipėda University. Since 2014, he has worked at Klaipėda Youth Theatre and as a freelance actor throughout Lithuania. He has performed more than thirty roles in various Lithuanian theatres and films. Since 2019, he has worked at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, teaching acting. He began directing actively in 2020. His main productions include “Waiting for Godot”, “Lighthouse”, “Confession”, “A Summer’s Day” and “Conscripts”.

The project is funded by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania.

Review of the performance: “About Anna and the White Elk”