“Monster” in Daile Theater or a story about people around us. Conversation with the creators of the show / Article / LSM.lv

I am aware of myself as an educator and civically responsible for what the next generation will be like, says director Dmitry Petrenko, explaining why his work still focuses on the lives and problems of young people. His latest performance “Monster” will premiere at the Daile Theater on October 9.

The production of Duncan McMillan’s play “Monster” at the Daile Theater will be a story about Derrill, in the role of Kārlis Arnolds Avots. Derrill does not attend classes and stands out with destructive behavior, is annoying, asks inappropriate questions and uses inappropriate words, does not want to obey the rules that the new teacher Tom, played by Gints Andžāns, makes him follow. Conflict between the two of them is inevitable. “Everything Derrill knows comes from television and movies. He can’t live in the real world. He doesn’t fit. This is unfair to Derrill, but it is also unfair to the other people who have to live in this world. Who is to blame? And who can help? ” asked in the performance application.

Henrieta Verhoustinska: Kārlis Arnold, before we start talking about your joint work, I wanted to refer to the director of Valmiera Theater Evita Sniedze expressed bitternessthat you, cherished and raised for the Valmiera Theater, have chosen the Daile Theater. Maybe you can tell why?

Kārlis Arnolds Source: You know, it’s like my master [Mihails] Gruzdov said. It’s like a relationship. There is either good or nothing about the former relationship. However, I would like to continue with nothing and say that I went to the Valmiera Theater to work with my teacher, master, artistic director Indra Roga.

She left work, her job, and I came to the Daile Theater to the artistic director Viesturs Kairišs. I would not like to comment on this situation anymore.

And aren’t you intimidated by the saying “Better first in the village than second in Rome”?

Kārlis Arnolds Source: Not at all! Evita and I also spoke very correctly before that. We have a good relationship and I don’t feel guilty or otherwise. I have some ambition, and where I am expected, and where there are opportunities, there I want to go. I am honored to work at the Daile Theater.

Dmitry, I have a question for you, why is Kārlis Arnolds Avots already in your second show? Describes this new censon.

Dmitry Petrenko: We had a conversation with you about like-minded people. We have also become like-minded people, we have a very interesting job. Karl is a young man, a young actor, and, as a young man, I always expect him to have many different interests, but the way he goes into the work, the way he tries to feel what the director wants and his respect for the theater , against partners, against material and the ability to work, to work seriously – I sometimes feel that he has nothing else in life. Probably, but I have a feeling that he has nothing else. That’s what any director expects an actor not to sit in two chairs, that he doesn’t run there, somewhere that he concentrates, that he sinks in that role, that job, that he comes up with ideas that he has thought about what the director has told him yesterday.

Kārlis Arnolds is slowly blushing.

Kārlis Arnolds Source: I’m really angry.

Dmitry Petrenko: But it’s serious.

That’s why the directors want to work with Karl, I think.

Dmitry, “In the land of Thebes”, “In the breathKarl Arnold’s protagonist, who is worried about what his child will grow up to, is now “Monster”, which is a story about a teenager who is actually a very antisocial and dysfunctional relationship. Why this topic, why are these future people so interested in you? Is it because you worked with the new course in Liepaja?

Dmitry Petrenko: Well, I’m probably aware of myself as an educator, but in that civic sense, I’m responsible for what the next generation will look like. Also probably very personal. It seems to me that if I had been told some important things at that age, maybe my life would have been different, maybe easier, maybe I could have escaped some dysfunctions as well. And that topic has always interested me, the moment we sacrifice ourselves, the moment society – or I don’t know what – is sacrificing us. Why can’t we, why do we start the way back in 30 years, trying to scrape off what we tried so hard to bring to ourselves. Some images, some ideas about yourself, about this world. Now that I’m relatively far away from 30, I’m starting to wonder, I want to reflect on why.

Why do we put those images together and then try to get rid of it in the second half of our lives. This is very interesting.

Karl Arnold, Derrill is a man who is very difficult, very difficult, very difficult to remember. Duncan McMillan’s play “Monster” is also written in such short phrases that are not burdened with many explanations. Do you include anything about me from this person?

Kārlis Arnolds Source: Of course, I myself have been such a hooligan and I was able to sell all its social norms at school. As the son of a teacher, my parents have been teachers for generations – that is quite personal to me. I have been friends a lot in my life and I have been with these difficult children. These hooligans, my friends, great people, and often they are the most sincere, but they are simply misunderstood.

And it’s in each of us, we just don’t think we talk much about it, we hide a little behind something, we solve it a little.

The aftertaste after this play is that Derrill is extremely, extremely unhappy. Is there anything that can be done to prevent this from happening? And let the adults around him do it?

Kārlis Arnolds Source: First, understand what he wants. Because basically they are already simple things that a person wants. Man wants to be understood and loved. And the gap between him and the teacher, between the people who put the stamp on him, this tag, that he is that monster. He doesn’t call himself that, but he doesn’t understand him. It is also now that it was just September 1. We see that this problem, this topic is becoming more and more topical. Nils Sakss Konstantinovs wrote about it in “Satori”.

After the case of Brukna.

Kārlis Arnolds Source: After the case of Brukna. Exactly.

There are many different articles, and we in society are talking and talking about it more and more. I think it is definitely a very topical show.

The play “Monster” will premiere at the Daile Theater on October 9. The performance was created by director Dmitrijs Petrenko, set designer Marija Ulmane, costume designer Baiba Litiņa, lighting artist Māra Malikova and music author Prusax.

Kārlis Arnolds Avots, Gints Andžāns, Anete Krasovska and Indra Birķe play in the show.

–