Renata Semaškienė (PDF)
https://doi.org/10.53631/MIS/2025.17.1
This article analyzes the identity transformations of Vilnius Old Theatre (formerly the Lithuanian Russian Drama Theatre) in the context of two major historical turning points: the restoration of Lithuanian independence in 1990 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. As one of the oldest professional theatre institutions in Lithuania, established in 1913 by the Polish community of Vilnius, the theatre has long operated at the crossroads of shifting political, linguistic, and cultural forces. Its unique historical trajectory—marked by Soviet institutionalization and post-independence cultural realignment—offers a revealing case study of how state-funded cultural institutions articulate and reshape their identities amid geopolitical change. The study investigates how the theatre navigated the transition from a Soviet-era Russian- language theatre into a contemporary multicultural institution seeking to reflect Lithuania’s evolving democratic values. The 1990s marked an initial effort to align with the newly independent state through symbolic acts (e.g., renaming the theatre to include the term “Lithuanian”) and through programming choices that distanced the repertoire from Soviet ideological narratives. However, from the 1992s to the early 2010s, the theatre largely maintained a classical Russian repertoire and realist aesthetics, catering primarily to a Russian-speaking audience and remaining relatively isolated from the broader Lithuanian theatre field. A significant shift began after 2015, as the theatre increasingly incorporated contemporary dramaturgy and thematically diverse performances. These included works by Ivan Vyrypajev, Marius Ivaškevičius, Dorota Masłowska, and others, which addressed topics such as identity, migration, and social fragmentation. Nonetheless, this renewal did not yet constitute a coherent institutional strategy. The full-scale transformation occurred in 2022 following the outbreak of war in Ukraine. Responding to the moral and political urgency of the moment, the theatre officially changed its name to Vilnius Old Theatre, symbolically distancing itself from imperial cultural associations and reclaiming its historical, multiethnic roots. Under new leadership and artistic direction, the institution adopted a strategy of multilingualism, multigenre experimentation, and sociopolitical engagement, exemplified by productions such as Reforma (2024), which served as a metatheatrical commentary on institutional renewal. The article draws on historical analysis, archival research, and repertoire studies to explore how the theatre’s shifting identity reflects broader tensions between cultural tradition, national belonging, and artistic autonomy. It argues that Vilnius Old Theatre is no longer merely a minority institution but is becoming an active participant in shaping contemporary Lithuanian cultural discourse. The theatre now functions as a critical site for rethinking post- Soviet identity, multilingual expression, and the role of the arts in times of political transformation.
Keywords: Vilnius Old Theatre, Lithuanian Russian Drama Theatre, cultural policy, theatre identity, geopolitical shifts