Every year on March 27, we have the opportunity to congratulate the theater, to thank the magic of it, to enjoy the diversity of culture, and to remember that art cannot exist without like -minded people.
Povilas Barzdžius, actor of the Kaunas National Drama Theater, about the importance of the theater, the challenges of acting and directing and the importance of the cultural community, is openly told.
How was your interest in actress, theater and what attracted you to choose this life path?
I would say some coincidence. It all started at school, around fifth grade. I was not a dash in adolescence, but I had a certain Magging. Once, during the Lithuanian lesson, I got the teacher so that she offered to come to her theater circle. I met and I liked it there. Such an introduction.
Later I joined Vilnius Vytautas Magnus Gymnasium, where actress Janina Matekonytė had a theater circle. I had heard about him and knew I would want to visit. The manager was able to create an environment where I met very good friends and I always wanted to come.
Then I didn't really understand how things work. The theater was not acting for me, but a relationship with people. And then the Lithuanian Academy of Theater and Music was followed, which somehow succeeded (Laughs). I learned well, but I never knew what I wanted to do in life. I had acquaintances who studied acting, I liked the theater and came up with – I had to try.
Do you remember your first play? What feelings did he cause?
During the first exits to the stage, it includes feeling as if it doesn't happen. It's funny because before you have some imaginations, fantasies that you probably feel like. She watches grandctors in an attempt to imagine yourself in their place, but when you play yourself, it seems that everything is moving inertly and you can't even realize at the time that you are doing what you dreamed of.
And that perception then comes?
Yes, I remember those first times. It was Amber Varnas' performance „Great New World”, starring almost our entire course. We were still so young, but we could see how things work at a close range: how the actors work, how the process was going.
Already then it seemed surreal. Later, director G. Varnas invited me and a few classmates to the performance „Waiting for God” at the Vilnius Youth Theater. I remember when it all ended – premiere, speech, performance – I came back to the empty scene.
There is so much time spent there, everything is thick, inert, fast, a lot of stress, and now it has ended – and silence. That feeling is still left. Now I'm going to get him, but at that time it was an interesting experience – to come to the empty scene.
Can you claim that that silence works more than applause?
I will not say that I do not like applause, because it would be total nonsense – the egoistic part is enjoying it. For me, those processes and their ending give me a dual feeling, because while the process is going, life is going on.
And then the silence ends and always comes – the feeling that it is over. It is also pleasant, but at the same time, the intestines, even when addiction. Stop after everything – well, it's romantic.
How is it now? Do you still experience that romance?
It gets used to that feeling and is not always so romantic. While you are greenall in the theater you are curious, you romanticize everything. Later, there are days when it becomes just a job. The realization comes that there are as much good things in the theater as bad, so they no longer look so naive.
There are processes that end and you are happy. Not necessarily because they were poor, they just demanded a lot of you. There are processes that end and you do not feel very good. I have noticed that the most precious to me is when I work with friends, the people I can discover the connection with. You try to take pictures of such moments and remember later.
You started playing in performances from 2019. And you have already accumulated a number of roles. Which most are you proud of?
I am not proud of my work yet, but here is probably my personal attitude towards what I do. Of course, there were roles that I remember warmly. Is there one specifically one I would distinguish? No, not. I start to realize that I like the process more than the end result.
You made your debut at Kaunas City Chamber Theater as a director – you created the performance „Close” based on the work of Falk Richter and William Shakespeare. What were the main challenges of moving from acting to directing? Have you found something new in the theater during this creative process?
I'm not saying I am an actor and director. I am an actor who directed one performance. I cannot call myself a director because I have no competence for it. Maybe I have a sense that sometimes works, sometimes not. These are two very different professions whose foundations are different.
My lecturer Gintaras Varnas provided a very good analogy. If the performance is a house, then the actor is just part of that hut. You may be a central, big window, but you are a window and your responsibility, how you will decorate it.
The actor is responsible for the details, the director for the whole house, which requires a completely different look. On the other hand, the director can have many condescents, visuals and meanings in the same way, and then the actor comes…
Working with an actor, I would say, requires extremely good knowledge of psychology, because it takes very precise words – everything seems to be clear, but you need to communicate the idea of a understanding of those around you. It is very difficult to take a person on stage to the right place.
Of course, it is very good that the actors themselves are involved and ignited, but you, as a director, have to make them unfold. It is not to be expected that the actors will play at the first time, as this is usually not the case.
Each actor is a kind of microcosm – creating and thinking differently. Some are revealed through movement, others through the idea; Some need time to think, only then they can do, others immediately hurry to do, just after a thought.
There are many elements that the director needs to combine. So, all the responsibility falls on you, and you are completely alone. It seems to me that this is the most brutal part of the director's work. The actors work with other actors, can talk, complain, and the director has no such luxury.
You are alone and have to accept all the emotions, the lowered glances, the silence when you fail. Of course, when everything is smooth, you feel great satisfaction. But the director Dalia is just hell. Especially when you need to watch your performance.
What does it feel like watching your performance?
This is the terrible feeling. As an actor, you are worried, but you know you will go out on stage and that excitement will subside. Of course, if you no longer worry before you go on stage, then it's sad because the vocation becomes a job.
But if you feel excited and are able to use it, then in a sense, you will lower the steam. And as a director, you sit and realize that you can do nothing anymore. Cried, just crushed (Laughs). You can enjoy when the hall gets involved, responds and understands. God forbid, something is wrong – then there is a nightmare.
The play „Close” is an important step in your career and creativity. What basic message did you want to convey with your performance?
I wanted the performance a little annoying. I wanted people who had not seen it or felt it in their lives, to survive here. The performance talks about the absence of love in certain human bubbles, types that use love and become a product.
I, still believing in love, noticed trends in our generation. Young people's attitudes towards relationship with another person are sometimes so discouraged, so scary. Love becomes a walk in the supermarket. This attitude annoys me, even sees me. I am burned from it myself, so I wanted the performance to annoy – to convey the feeling I sometimes experience.
Why does love turn into a product?
There are many factors falling. In the past, I was asked if the current generation is a single generation that is unable to build a long -term relationship. It seems to me that creating a relationship has always been a daunting task.
There are now many alternatives to changing and getting rid of that relationship. Perhaps there is social media, accelerated pace of life or nightlife. I think all that patchwork is a consequence.
Was there moments on the creative trip when you encountered failures or doubts? How did you get these difficulties and find inspiration again?
Did I have thoughts, „Maybe it's not for me?” Clearly. For the first time I encountered them in the Academy. I wouldn't say there were a lot of those moments, but those around them were really excited about it. I think that this profession sooner or later is everyone who is: „I do okay here?” One can retreat and look from the side that what the actors do is a complete circus.
From the perspective of the observer, I sometimes feel meaningless. How to deal with it? Probably everyone has their own ways. I always say that there are only thoughts here. Thoughts that come and who will come out. I try to get away from them because at the end of the day I ask myself, „I don't want to play anymore. Well. And what do you want to do?…? Maybe don't complain.” Of course, sometimes you get tired and come from the experiences you can cover in the theater.
Then you just retreat, you are mediated and have time to fall in love with your profession. Are there any failures? It happens, but that's fine. Worst of all that can happen to the actor – he no longer experiences failure and thinks there is me; Scary.
Those failures are needed because they ground, give pen to reflection. If you are not out of them, you are just stupid. It seems to me that sometimes I even want to make a mistake. To feel that you haven't gotten up for a long time, and feel that it will be right away (smiles). Of course, it is sad, it is painful, but the next day you get up and go on. It is the beauty of the profession and the irritant – it will reward you and punish you, love and sweat. Others are there for me.
Theater has always been an important cultural tool to help form society. What thoughts do you arise about the power of theater in today's world?
Two. Of course, if I thought theater has no power and magic to change a person, then I would not be here. True, I think these are very rare cases. In Lithuania, the theater is only interesting to a small group of people, and their half is made up of the theater community.
Each theater has a certain audience. Sometimes a curious viewer comes in and looks with big eyes, but often he comes to spend time and wants you to be interested. Especially lately, I have been feeling some of the theater and viewers.
It seems that theater now is diagnosing diseases that are ill and trying to heal itself. And all this happens, watching the viewer. I don't know how to appreciate it – maybe it's good to see how we, theaters, see things.
The viewer feels or disagrees completely. I haven't seen such jobs that would change a radically, and if I saw it younger, naive. In my eyes, the magic of theater is a little overwhelmed.
What do you lack in the theater?
I always want to be excited, actually touching and be sincere. Of course, I speak very abstract concepts. But how do you name what is sensitive today? Everyone will have a different answer.
On the other hand, sometimes I watch the performance and most interestingly it is when I do not fully understand what is happening on the stage now but I feel with me something is going on; It is impossible to specify exactly what it feels like, but there are moments.
They are infinitely fragile and seem to be less and less over time. I don't know if there is a professional disease here, but other acquaintances after the performance talk about Faanus effects and good acting. It is great that he played well, but when asked what he takes from the performance, he dies. Want to be excited. Would really excite.
International Theater Day is important to people in your profession. What does it mean to you personally?
Theater days do not celebrate some exceptionally. Probably because in recent years almost every day has been imbued with theater. And when the theater day comes, she doesn't touch so bright. Of course, I speak very cynically and this is not a complete truth.
Still sacred because you won't go anywhere. Mostly we meet the classmates, the friends we started with this path and we wake up. Still, for me, theater is the people I met and I will still meet.
• Ema Lubytė talked
• The publication is shared by the Lithuanian regional news portal „City News”. The National Kaunas Drama Theater announced the news. You can find more news for yourself and your city on www.miestonaujienos.lt.
