“Navigation to Nowhere” Review: Bold Experimentation Navigates a Murky Dramaturgy
Riga, Latvia – November 23, 2023 – A performance pushing the boundaries of traditional theater, “Navigation to Nowhere” at the New Riga Theatre, demonstrates commendable ambition even as it struggles with a cohesive narrative. The production, reviewed by Kroders.lv, is praised for its innovative use of latvian folk motifs and striking visual elements, but ultimately feels weighed down by excess and a lack of focused development.
The performance notably integrates Emil Melngails‘ arrangement of the Latvian folk song “Dark night, green grass,” weaving its themes throughout the plot. Reviewer notes the skillful encoding of these motifs, serving as a recurring thread. Visual artist Ildze Jurkovska’s contributions,specifically the use of wigs and microphone stands to represent an old man and a horse respectively,are highlighted as concise and effective in conveying meaning without overwhelming the aesthetic.
Though, the review suggests a need for streamlining. The performance’s own stated ideology - “You have to leave the party at the best point” – is presented as a potential guiding principle for further refinement.The reviewer recommends a deeper exploration of the theatrical characteristics of performance poetry, emphasizing emotional depth and active audience engagement, citing moments where the work resonated through relatable imagery like the line “I’m waiting for summer again to wish I was in winter.”
A scene depicting the imagined futures of young people, drawing parallels to both historical youth interviews and contemporary documentary aesthetics (specifically referencing “Is it easy to be young”), is identified as promising but ultimately suffers from excessive length and a descent into aimlessness.
Despite these shortcomings, the review acknowledges the production’s courage in exceeding conventional theatrical frameworks. It concludes that while a “purity of the dramaturgical material and a unifying core” are essential even for experimental work, the creative team’s willingness to expand boundaries is laudable. The performance’s central sentiment – “When it seems that there is nothing there, may you still manage to find somthing there” – encapsulates its overall essence.
The review clarifies that the English metaphor ”Kill your darlings” – used to describe discarding cherished but ultimately needless elements – applies to the creative process of refining the production.
[Image of a scene from “Navigation to Nowhere” by aigars Hibneris included with the original article.]
[Link to the original article on Kroders.lv provided.]
