REMYGA

The production “Remyga” has been connected with Šiauliai from its initial conception through to its final realisation. Rimantas Kmita, author of the bestseller “Pietinia kronikas”, wrote the play specially for this production, presenting a phantasmagorical version of history woven from real events and fiction. The play is about a city and its people, real events and myths, and those whose fate became bound to the city. “Remyga” takes the audience back to the first years of independence. What (in)visible enemies were we fighting then? Who were we, and who did we become? The play is set in Šiauliai during the turbulent years 1988–1992. Many of us still remember this difficult time of change, when the ideals of independence clashed with the dark forces of the old structures. The play’s protagonist, Remyga, is caught between these two forces. After serving in the Soviet army in Afghanistan, Remyga returns to his hometown of Šiauliai. He would like to live like “all normal people”—to be a loving husband, a good father and a conscientious employee. But the shadows of the past and the chaos around him grow ever darker, while the dark forces gain more and more power. How can one draw a line between good and evil in such a chaotic society? How can one remain honest with oneself and others? How can one control one’s inner demons? What is the price of independence—political and personal? The creators of the production have blended a hard-to-define cocktail of documentary material, everyday authenticity, psychedelic mysticism and live rock music. Director Oskaras Koršunovas sees in “Remyga” the face of all Lithuania at that time: “what was happening in Šiauliai then was happening throughout Lithuania.” Premiere: 22 October 2020. Review: Awards: Funded by: