Valmiera, Latvia – A new Latvian play, “Egomaniaki,” by Artūrs Dīcis, premiered at the Valmiera Theatre’s Round Hall on February 20, 2026. The production, directed by Reinis Suhanovs, explores the complexities of a modern relationship fractured by ego and sustained by lingering attachment even after separation.
The play centers on Ārons (28), a model, and Kortnija (28), a children’s book author, as they navigate a single day together – a car journey and a walk in the woods – following their breakup. The narrative delves into the “toxic” dynamic between the pair, characterized by a “poisoned silence” where even innocuous remarks can trigger conflict, according to promotional materials.
Actors Anna Nele Āboliņa, who portrays Kortnija, and Aksels Aizkalns, as Ārons, described the challenges of portraying a couple locked in a cycle of unproductive communication. “I think they want to prove their point,” Āboliņa stated. “How far can you go to be heard, to be understood, to be taken seriously, to be empathized with?”
Aizkalns echoed this sentiment, noting the difficulty of portraying a connection that exists despite a fundamental inability to truly connect. “There’s that paradox that we are, as it were, two actors and all the time as if in dialogue with each other, but we don’t really meet in that dialogue,” he said.
The staging of “Egomaniaki” reflects the play’s themes. The Valmiera Theatre’s Small Hall has been transformed into a forest of bare trees, creating a symbolic landscape for the characters’ emotional journey.
Reinis Suhanovs, the director, has a history of tackling complex family dynamics in his function. He described the production as a “chamber play” focused on the interplay between the two actors, aiming for a balance between “brutalism and poetic beauty.” Suhanovs emphasized his desire to create a production accessible to a broad audience, stating, “I wanted people who listen to the radio and are on the street to be able to suddenly go to that play. They come and realize – theatre, it applies to me.”
The play’s score is composed by rapper Zelma Jēgere, known as Viņa un Fiņķis. Aizkalns noted that learning the musical elements of the production presented a unique challenge, contrasting with the typical demands of stage acting. “Reinis always manages – to challenge and provoke actors to do all sorts of things,” Aizkalns said. “That’s why I really like working with Reinis, because he really challenges you. And you are forced to simply ‘stretch’.”
Suhanovs, who also works as a scenographer, previously received international recognition for his work, winning an award at the Prague Quadrennale in 2007 while studying under Andris Freibergs. He currently teaches at both the Latvian Academy of Arts and the Latvian Cultural Academy, focusing on fostering creative exploration of theatrical space.
Dīcis’s play also raises broader questions about contemporary relationships and a perceived reluctance among young people to form families, a theme the playwright connects to the pervasive influence of social media and the pursuit of curated online personas. “We live in a time when social media has almost turned everything into a public space,” Dīcis explained. “We are constantly creating our images, showing only the best version of ourselves and creating unrealistic expectations of successful people.”
