This performance is for the whole family.
Premiere: December 4, 2021
Based on the fairy tale by H. C. Andersen
Director: Paulius Tamolė
Dramaturg: Virginija Rimkaitė
Set and Costume Designer: Kristina Voytsekhovskaya
Composers: Tadas Dešukas, Chris Ruebens
Lighting Designer: Julius Kuršis
Video Projections by Artis Dzērve
Technical Designer: Irina Komissarova
Assistant Director: Rasa Naujokienė
Cast:
The Snow Queen – Eglė Jackaitė
Gerda – Samanta Pinaitytė
Kajus – Jonas Baranauskas
Grandmother; Rose Bush (voice) – Regina Arbačiauskaitė
Woman – Digna Kulionytė
Raven – Vaidas Jočys
Prince; Deer – Jonas Viršilas
Princess – Karolina Kontenytė
Bandit; Hen – Renata Idzelytė
Finnish Old Woman – Vida Kojelytė
Grandmother (Bandit’s Mother) – Artūras Lepiochinas
Little Rascal 1; Narcissus; Bandit 1 – Karolis Norvilas
Little Rascal 2; Vėdrynas; Bandit 2 – Donatas Stakėnas / Karolis Legenis
Little Rascal 3; Vijoklis; Bandit 3 – Karolis Maiskis
Two best friends—Kajus and Gerda—live in the same town. They enjoy spending time together, tending to a rose that blooms all year round, and listening to their beloved grandmother’s stories—even if they’re about the fearsome Snow Queen. Until one day, Kajus disappears, and no one knows where he’s gone. People suspect the worst, but Gerda can’t bring herself to accept the idea that her beloved friend might be dead. So she resolves to embark on a journey full of danger and wonder and do everything she can to find and rescue her beloved friend. She never even suspected that she would have to rescue her friend from the very clutches of the Snow Queen herself…
Hans Christian Andersen is rightly called the king of fairy tales. “The Snow Queen” is one of his most beautiful and profound works, reminding us all of the indomitable power of love and kindness.
“Ever since people have lived on Earth, there have been stories. Stories come in all shapes and sizes—from those depicted in ancient cave paintings to little bedtime tales in children’s bedrooms. Stories make up our history and guide our future. Stories surround us every day: on television, on the radio, or in newspaper headlines. The Bible and other religious books are also full of all kinds of stories. Teachers at school are often storytellers and share stories related to their subjects. Songs tell their own stories. Photographs tell stories. Plays tell stories.
I came across a book of fairy tales by H. C. Andersen, translated directly from Danish (translated by Liudas Remeika). The original *The Snow Queen* consists of seven separate stories that span all the seasons of the year. So, let’s forget about winter or Christmas. This is about relationships growing cold, about estrangement among family members, friends, and loved ones.
WHY DOES IT SOMETIMES HAPPEN THAT OUR HEARTS TURN INTO A PIECE OF ICE?
Fairy tales are powerful. They can teach morals and values. They can teach history. They can simply be entertainment. They can make us laugh. The greatest value and benefit of fairy tales is that they bring people together,” notes the play’s director, Paulius Tamolė.
