Biographical improvisations Lietaus žemė Dir. A. Giniotis

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” (George Santayana)

“Lietaus žemė” (Land of Rain) – biographical improvisations, speaking through the voices and bodies of actors sitting in a circle about the events of the first half of the 20th century that left the greatest mark on Lithuanian history. The interconnected stories of people who lived during the interwar and post-war periods, experienced by the creators of the play themselves through their grandparents, relatives, or complete strangers, reveal the complex choices and daily struggle for survival as a human being faced by ordinary Lithuanian residents in a ruthless political situation. “Lietaus žemė” does not engage in accusations or politicized polemics – the play touches upon Lithuania's past through fragmentary snippets of life stories, woven into a gentle whole marked by subtle, non-ostentatious patriotism. The stories of real people who once lived, recreated and interpreted by the actors on stage, are born from small details, sounds, glances, or even authentic objects, allowing the viewer to feel even closer to a living and breathing past. Human joys and hardships, happy and unhappy love stories, interpersonal connections and experiences – elements of every person's and nation's existence, indelible even in the face of the greatest repressions and political changes – merge in “Lietaus žemė” into a sensitive and personal lesson of non-textbook history.

Premiere - 2011 11 30

Play sponsor: Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania.

In 2012, at the festival “Lietuvos teatrų pavasaris’12” (Lithuanian Theaters' Spring '12), the play “Lietaus žemė” was voted the best play on the small stage by the audience.

In 2012, the play was nominated for the “Golden Stage Cross” award for best national dramaturgy.