Review: The Unnaturalness of ‘Liliom’ in the Neo-Noir Genre at Fine Arts Theatre

Publicity (Marko Rasa) photo

Maija Svarinska, “Kultūrzīme”, JSC “Latvijas Mediji”

Most read

In Russia, it is forbidden to mention the name “Vagner” and Prigozhin. What happened?

VIDEO. Boy becomes father at 11: ‘She said she loved me but didn’t want anyone to know’

VIDEO. Latvian tennis star Aļona Ostapenko curses her rival from America rudely in Russian after losing a match

Read other posts

On May 24, the premiere of the well-known play “Lilioms” in Latvia took place in the Art Theater. Its author, Ferencs Molnárs (1878–1952), is a writer of Hungarian origin who wrote not only plays, but also poetry, and was also a director. But as a playwright, he is especially popular and is considered Hungary’s favorite and at the same time the most controversial author of plays.

For example, his “Lilioms” has been staged at least three times in Latvia. The author of the 1971 production is Alfred Jaunušans, and this National Theater performance has had a very long stage life. In its legacy, it left the great songs of Imantas Kalniņš, for example, “Look, the sky is open again!”. In 1996, this play was performed in the Liepāja Theater, where it was directed by Juris Bartkevičs. But after 17 years, “Liliom” is reborn again at the National Theater in Edmund Freiberg’s production. An interesting analysis of these three works can be read in the magazine “Teātra Vēstnesis” (2013/II), where Edite Tishheizer delves into the essence of the performances, especially highlighting the exact connection with time as “the energy of an extraordinary dream, the hunger for breakthrough” in the works of A. Jaunusanas and J. Bartkevičas.

This play was staged in Daile by Ildiko Gāšpāra, who, like the playwright, is Hungarian. More recently, another of her works, namely “Degunrajji” (2020), has been staged in this theater, which attracted wide attention from both the public and professionals. Therefore, I was looking forward to meeting her “Lilioma” with great interest. However, this meeting surprised me a priori – with the program of the show, which includes a large professional interview with the director. Basically, it is I. Gāšpaara’s own review of her show. Therefore, as a critic, I have almost nothing left to write, I can only comment.

In this interview, we learn that I. Gāšpāras has chosen the “neo-noir” film genre for her production, which is characterized by deformed neurotic shot compositions, experiments with lighting and varied use of shadows, and where, as the director herself says, “a psychologically fragile but physically aggressive protagonist is drawn into a romantic affair of crime and love”. The director adds: “In my opinion, Liliom initially appears to us in his environment exactly like this: women circle around him like moths around a lantern bulb. But already in the first scene with the policemen, we see that he is miserable and helpless in front of the authorities – against the background of a brutal, emotionally cold and hypocritical society. These are typical of the 20th century. Elements of 1940s ‘noir’ and 1980s and 1990s ‘neo-noir’ film genres.”

I can only add to what has been said that “neo-noir” requires a special visual style – saturated with alarming lighting, deep shadows and loneliness of the environment. The scenography of the show, made by Lili Ižaka, has also been properly thought out and implemented. On the other hand, I. Gāšpāras explains: “It would be difficult to lift such a literally heavy scenography. Therefore, I asked stage designer Lili to come up with a concept of light portals that would not have dividing walls. The “arrows” of light that indicate the passages are not so specific. She found exactly this solution and I was very happy to start working in an empty room with only light. The visual approach is minimalist.” As a critic, I can confirm that the scenography is fascinating. Lili Ižāka, video artist Andrāšs Juhās, as well as lighting artist Oskars Pauliņš have created a truly impressive atmosphere of what is happening. The play of light – it is a brilliant flicker of a string of countless squares, which alternately decorate the stage on the sides, top and back. The change of color of light is dictated by the deeper framework of events. Especially when the setting changes, let’s say whether it is on this earth or in the other sun, where Liliom ends up after his suicide. The light perfectly plays with the darkness and fog and echoes perfectly with the original music of the composer Flora Lili Matis, which vividly describes the events as touches of fate.

I. Gāšpāras also answers the question about the actors’ work in great detail. “An actor must be able to separate the bodily expression from the expression of the spirit and mind. This means that mimicry and speech have a psychological basis, but at the same time the body moves in a stylized way, as if subject to gravity, which is different from the one we experience in everyday life. The result is a special poetic existence that shows the fragility and weakness of brutality and demonstrates any form of existence as mortal and only momentarily perceptible in time.” Considering such a setting, it is particularly difficult to comment on the work of the actors. I would like to understand at least why the choice of Laura Dzelzīšas for the role of Liliom was so principled. Because he clearly proved himself in “Rhinoceros”? However, this role does not really capture that “lily” charm, as evidenced by the character’s nickname Liliom. Maybe those moths are attracted by his imitation snakeskin costume (costume designer Luca Sabados)?

Indeed, it is difficult to analyze the work of the actors, because the unnaturalness of the playing style comes to the fore, which corresponds to the “neo” genre, but it seems contradictory for the playing on the stage. Imagine that there is no organic movement of the body, the basic pattern of the gait is toe to toe, step by step, sometimes just like the soldiers on guard at the monument. The style of conversation is also similar: a word and a pause. As the director herself says, “I felt that the moments between the sentences could be made bigger. // People say things and you just make the pauses between what they say longer, but here I really saw the point. Tension is the key, you feel the tension in the air.”

It’s a pity, but the characters have no life. There is only an image – an idea. Perhaps only Darts Danevich in the role of Julia overcomes the contours of this condition more. At least being in the front of the stage helps the actress a lot. You can see that there is content in the role, which is also revealed more in the scene with the already dead Lilioma. But in general, all the roles resemble almost cartoons. This feeling is also enhanced by movements, shouts and joking reprimands or instructions. There is no point in analyzing, you can only describe, so I want to say: go and see!

Yes, there are a lot of perfectly picturesque scenes to feast your eyes on in the show, but you won’t get anything more substantial, at least that was the premiere. It is no coincidence that at the end of the performance, when everything goes dark and the curtain closes, when the actors and the directing team come out to take a bow, the audience applauds, but when the actors leave, they quickly get up and run away. A rare occurrence, but in my opinion, an apt ending for a show that has no connection to time.

INQUIRY

Ferencs Molnars, “Liliom”, production in the Great Hall of the Fine Arts Theatre

* Director Ildiko Gāšpāras, playwright Matīss Gritzmanis, scenographer Lili Ižākas, costume designer Luca Sabadoša, video artist Andrāšs Juhās, choreographers Veronika Sabo, Ildiko Gāšpāras, composer Flora Lili Matisas, lighting designer Oskars Pauliņš, translators Matīss Gritzmanis, Kintija Rogers.

* Cast: Lauris Dzelzītis, Dārta Daneviča, Ieva Segliņa, Dainis Gaidelis, Anete Krasovska, Aldis Siliņš, Gints Grāvelis, Olga Dreģe, Lidija Pupure, Imants Strads, etc.

* Next performances: September 19, 20.

OPINION

Ilona Brewer, director (“facebook”): “I just watched “Lilioma” at the Daile Theater, a contemporary, well-directed theatrical masterpiece with my biggest favorites – actors – with whom I also work on some films. The drama of the lights does not work in just one scene, with the bright side lights when Liliom shows his daughter the stars. But all in all, an infinitely picturesque, delicate and beautiful show. Compliments to the whole team.”

Themes