Vilnius International Theatre Festival “Sirenos”2026

Vilnius International Theatre Festival “Sirenos” presents its 2026 programme, centred around the theme “Theatre Is an Escape”, exploring the power of theatre to temporarily distance us from the noise of everyday life, the endless flow of news and the brutality of the world.

“We live in a time when wars, disinformation, conspiracy theories and the constant stream of bad news have become part of our everyday lives. When reality becomes apocalyptically unbearable, many people turn to art for refuge. Theatre is special because we experience it collectively – together, we seek like-minded people and worlds we can escape to for an hour or two, perhaps returning a little changed,” says Kristė Agota Savė, Artistic Director of the “Sirenos” theatre festival.

As part of its 2025–2027 artistic vision, the festival explores how contemporary theatre reflects the sense of impending apocalypse – whether it protects us from it like a weapon or allows us to escape into artistic worlds. This year’s theme invites audiences to view theatre as an escape from a reality filled with destruction, wars, disasters and apocalyptic fears.

More information and the full festival programme: https://www.sirenos.lt/festivalio_programa/programa/