Dariusz Radvila, son of Witold

Musical images from the archives of Lithuanian Television.

A journey through archival footage from Lithuanian television from 1989-1991, when the country became independent from the Soviet Union. The paintings are accompanied by live music performed by four jazz musicians.

Censorship on Lithuanian television ended in the late 1980s. A wave of topics, suggestions and comments accumulated over the years flooded the ether — everyone wanted to speak. Faced with a lack of formal freedom, viewers soon engaged in the search for a new identity, characters and a vision of a better future. Music commenting on the events of that time immerses viewers in a tragicomic tale of problems that began thirty years ago and continue to this day.

In the work, longing for the past gives way to ironic interpretations of the sounds of the eighties and nineties, and questions provoked by absurd repetitions and sentimental inclusions constantly arise in the atmosphere of a collage: is all this a search for a “Lithuanian” character, or is it an ordinary routine of man and everyday life?

The performance used video materials from the archives of Lithuanian Television: excerpts from the television programs Veidrodis (Mirror), Akistata (Face to Face), Vilnius ir vilniečiai (Vilnius and the inhabitants of Vilnius) and Sekmadienio ry( Sunday Morning) from 1989-1991.

It is said that the creator in his work constantly solves the same conflict. Year after year, from work to work — characters and themes change, but the basic conflict remains the same — would the nation proceed in the same way?

— Birutė Kapustinskaiė, author of the play

An analysis of archival material from three decades ago shows that time has little effect on the topics we are talking about. An excess of words leads to their inflation, as a result of which they lose their meaning. Perhaps music will help to understand or at least capture their meaning.

— Karolis Kaupinis, director

Using archival conversations to tell about their/our nation and where we have (not) come in the last three decades, the creators of the play “Dariusz Radvila, son of Witold” skillfully combine compassion with (auto) irony. Perhaps this is how they manage to capture that unique national hope that has helped us survive the centuries, endure suffering, rise and live on.

— Goda Dapšytė, 370