Itch

Teatronas (Lithuania)

50 min | 12+

Contemporary circus and theatre essay about the fear of death

Fear of death is one of the most common causes of anxiety, often manifesting itself in various indirect ways. The literary source for this performance is the book ‘Staring at the Sun: Overcoming the Terror of Death’ by the psychotherapist Irvin D. Yalom, which explores the fear of death through the prism of literature, philosophy and Yalom's patients' experiences. However, this literature is only used as an inspiration for the creation of an absolutely new circus and theatre dramaturgy.

Anxiety, a rush to achieve something, social isolation, conflict –  these are just a small part of the common symptoms of our time that can actually hide a terror of death. In the current contexts, when death is so easily accessible, can strike unexpectedly anyone in the immediate environment, pandemics, war, ecological disaster and other unexpected events, it is a good time to speak of a very natural fear. Especially when this anxiety is not spoken about in a lecturing way, but in the language of movement that raises questions.

Director: Gildas Aleksa

Composer: Jokūbas Tulaba

Costume designer: Kotryna Klara Rupainytė

Light designer: Povilas Laurinaitis

Performers: Kasparas Bujanauskas, Džiugas Kunsmanas, Milda Jonaitytė

Producer: Teatronas

The project is funded by Vilnius City Municipality

Partners: Cirkus Syd (Sweden), Jacksons Lane (United Kingdom), Teatro da Didascalia (Portugal)