“The Turquoise Monster” at the Keistuoliai Theatre

In the true Lithuanian home of commedia dell’arte, another brilliant play by the great Italian playwright Carlo Gozzi comes to life — a theatrical celebration full of magic, metaphors, symbols, music, and sharp irony.

Born in 16th-century Italy, commedia dell’arte quickly captivated nearly all of Europe, its influence stretching centuries forward. The secret of its enduring popularity and audience appeal lay in the masks — characters easily recognized both in the smallest village and the grandest city. The same characters spun through ever-new whirlwinds of passions and local themes, creating a captivating blend of music, dance, and wit.

The impressive commedia dell’arte tradition also reached Lithuania, albeit a few centuries later. The master of the genre and, without exaggeration, Carlo Gozzi’s local representative on Lithuanian soil is director Aidas Giniotis, who will introduce Lithuanian audiences to the fifth commedia dell’arte play!

C. Gozzi’s “The Turquoise Monster” follows the best traditions of the genre — a vivid, emotional, magical, and hopeful tragicomedy diving into a whirlpool of love and revenge, deceit and miracles, dynamically driven by improvising actors. Set in the mystical city of Nanjing, the story could take place anywhere and nowhere else in the world; the events affecting the characters are universally recognizable and relatable, yet so wild and magical that boredom can find no place in the audience hall.

“The Turquoise Monster” and its masked characters invite us to a particularly important act these days — to see what lies deep inside. This is an allegorical story about authenticity and the everyday masks that imprison our true selves, a call not to be deceived by physical bodies and shiny exteriors, but to instead see what is revealed when eyes are closed and the heart opened.

Director: Aidas Giniotis
Set and Costume Designer: Ramunė Skrebūnaitė

Duration: 3 hours (with intermission)
Premiere: 2024-05-10