(BNS) The Kaunas Chamber Theater has called off its planned participation in an international festival in Russia, Kauno Diena daily said. It is the second Lithuanian theater to cancel its tour in Russia.
(BNS) The Kaunas Chamber Theater has called off its planned participation in an international festival in Russia, Kauno Diena daily said. It is the second Lithuanian theater to cancel its tour in Russia.
Back on Friday, the Kaunas Chamber Theater art director Aleksandras Rubinovas confirmed the report published by the Meetings in Russia festival that the theater would represent Russia in the forum after the recent cancellation of the Russian Theater of Lithuania. The Kaunas theater intended to perform a single-artist play Koba.
After publication of the news, the Kaunas Chamber Theater art director issued a public communique about the changed plans over the weekend.
“We never supported Russia’s imperialist policies and actions of President (Vladimir) Putin, we thought we have to fight and discuss in the language of theater, especially since the Koba is a clear testimony of the horrors of Stalinism. We honestly believed we can state our civil position on stage. Unfortunately, the political events are developing very rapidly and in a threatening direction. We realized that our participation in the festival in St. Petersburg could be interpreted for bad purposes. We do not want to become a tool in political manipulations or ambiguous interpretations. We do not want to divide the stance of cultural figures of Lithuania. Therefore, the Kaunas Chamber Theater will not go to the Meetings in Russia festival,” Rubinov said.
After Jonas Vaitkus, the head of the Russian Theater of Lithuania, in mid-March criticized the Russian cultural figures who openly support the Kremlin, the Russian Embassy canceled the theater’s trip to Russia.
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