ENACTING, NOT-ACTING, POST-ACTING: EMBODIED LIFE STORIES ON CONTEMPORARY LITHUANIAN THEATRE STAGE

Abstract

In the context of contemporary Lithuanian theatre, the most notable manifestations of the evolving dynamics between performer and role may be observed in the emergence of experience-based performances and embodied life stories. In recent years, a number of performances focusing on first-person narratives, often represented by non-actors, have emerged on the Lithuanian theatre stage. Performances based on first-person narratives and embodied life stories prompt spectators to engage with a particular mode of experiencing reality. The presence on stage of the very subjects of the narrated life stories intensifies the demand for authentic presence. Furthermore, it inevitably gives rise to questions concerning the nature of the relationship between reality and acting in the context of contemporary theatre. Using examples from recent Lithuanian theatre productions, this article analyses the emerging new ways of acting or embodying meanings, their underlying principles, historical development, and broader cultural implications.