Topical

From 22 to 24 May, Riga will host the Baltic Visual Theatre Showcase (BVTS), presenting 11 performances from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Finland and offering a broad insight into visual theatre in the Baltic region.

BVTS is the largest visual theatre event in the Baltics, revealing the diverse forms and possibilities of contemporary visual theatre across the region. This year, representatives of Finnish visual theatre have also been invited to participate in the off-programme.

The programme of this year’s showcase has been formed by theatre professionals from each participating country, who nominated their productions created within the past two years. Through this selection process, a curated programme of Baltic visual theatre performances has been assembled.

This year the showcase is organized by the Latvian Puppet Theatre, giving Latvian audiences a unique opportunity to experience the best of Baltic visual theatre in Riga. The motto of BVTS’26 – “Be Ready to See Differently” – encourages audiences to discover the current directions and perspectives of visual theatre.

Mārtiņš Eihe, Director of the Latvian Puppet Theatre and one of the organizers of the showcase, explains:
“The Baltic Visual Theatre Showcase is a place where physical theatre, puppet theatre, and object theatre meet, and where stories are primarily expressed through visual language. Its content unfolds through imagery, movement, materials, and sound — sometimes metaphorically and symbolically, sometimes very directly and materially. The showcase is open to diverse audiences — what matters is not the viewer’s age, but their curiosity and openness to the experience.”

Performances:

“Babygonia” (FIN, Babygonia creative team) 1+ A baby’s first encounter with theatre. The performance offers children a space to explore touch, color, shape, and sound — micro and macro worlds emerge through the interaction of various objects. The visual story is accompanied by live music.

“Extra Virgin – Evangelium” (FIN, Tehdas Theatre, Grus Grus Theatre) 18+ A performance based on real events about imposed national identities, occupation, and the false heroes of history.

“Playthings” (LV, Latvian Puppet Theatre) 3+ A movement-based performance about how different things learn to coexist within a small box. The show takes audiences into a world of imagination where encounters with beloved toys unexpectedly become real.

“The Water Roared in Sullen Waves” (LV, KVADRIFRONS) 16+ A physical theatre performance about time, struggle, victory, and loss. Since the beginning of humanity, conflict has served as a response to threat, disagreement, or power dynamics, yet societal development has significantly transformed the way it is perceived.

“No! No! No!” (LV, Latvian Puppet Theatre) 16+ A solo performance about how puppets help people fight for freedom — a story of solidarity with the brave and outspoken puppets that have been able to say “No!” for centuries.

“Metamorphosis” (LV, Liepaja Puppet Theatre) 14+ Inspired by Franz Kafka’s famous novella The Metamorphosis, the performance offers an outside perspective on the inner world of a young, lonely, and desperate person.

“King Lear” (LT, Kaunas State Puppet Theatre) 16+ The production explores King Lear’s personality and his ability (or inability) to love and listen to his daughters. Using the expressive tools of puppet theatre, a surreal world built on lies, betrayal, and alienation emerges, raising questions about the possibility of love in a world distorted by selfishness.

“About the Human” (LT, Vilnius Puppet Theatre “Lelė”) 2+ An interactive performance exploring the human body: what hides inside a nose? What does the inside of an ear look like? Who am I, where do I come from, and what shapes our world?

“Uncle Pettson and His Cat Findus” (LT, Klaipėda Puppet Theatre) 4+ A story about friendship that, through gentle humor and sensitive dramaturgy, invites audiences to immerse themselves in the fascinating world of animals and humans and to remember the true meaning of friendship.

“Rising Violins” (EE, VAT Theatre) 16+ A physical theatre performance about the clash between spiritual and physical strength. Parallels with real life are coincidental, as the core of the performance is far broader than issues still present within the narrow cultural context of Estonia.

“Reckless” (EE, Estonian Youth Theatre) 3+ A performance exploring the path to self-awareness through the senses. Perceiving oneself in the world can be confusing, yet it is precisely through our senses that we become unique and irreplaceable.

More information about the showcase and remaining tickets can be found at lelluteatris.lv and Biļešu paradīze.

The showcase is supported by the State Culture Capital Foundation (SCCF) and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia.