Jean-Luc Lagarce “AŠ BUVAU NAMUOSE IR LAUKIAU, KOL ATEIS LIETUS” (dir. Kotryna Siaurusaitytė)

A one-act play (1 hour 15 minutes), performed in Russian with Lithuanian surtitles.

Jean-Luc Lagarce’s play “Aš buvau namuose ir laukiau, kol ateis lietus” (“J'étais dans ma maison et j'attendais que la pluie vienne”) was the penultimate work by the French actor, director and playwright. Written in 1994, a year before the author’s death from AIDS at the age of 38, it is one of his three testamentary plays, alongside “Juste la fin du monde” (1990) and “Le Pays lointain” (1995).

“Aš buvau namuose ir laukiau, kol ateis lietus” tells of five women (sisters, a mother and a grandmother) who have waited for years for a brother, son and grandson. Their lives seem to have stood still, caught in this long wait… Now he has returned and is lying in the bed they kept for him. Is he asleep? Is he dying? We never see him: is he really there, or is he only a projection of the women’s hopes, fears, grievances and expectations?

“I found it beautiful that the play seems unfinished, with more pauses than action. This opens up space for interpretation and awakens a desire to reflect on the nature of love, sacrifice and truth. Choosing this work was entirely intuitive, yet it feels relevant both to me and to people of the XXI century. The text intertwines tragedy, depth and gentle humour; it moves us emotionally and opens up the broad and complex theme of waiting.” (Kotryna Siaurusaitytė)

I was at home and waited for the rain to come
I looked at the sky as always,
At the road running far, far away.
I always watch in the evenings, always stand in the evenings until
late at night on the threshold and wait, wait…
I waited for the rain to come and wet the earth, the paths, the grass
and bring us peace.

(Jean-Luc Lagarce, “Aš buvau namuose ir laukiau, kol ateis lietus”. Translated from French by Gintaras Patackas)

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Kotryna Siaurusaitytė is a director of the younger generation. She graduated in theatre directing (course leader Eimuntas Nekrošius). After her studies, she worked for several years at the Juozas Miltinis Drama Theatre in Panevėžys, where she directed 4 plays: “Conversations on a Moonlit Night”, “The Cloak”, “The Little Prince” and “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane”. She also assisted other directors. Together with like-minded artists, she presented the audiovisual installations “Stasis” and “Labyrinth” at the theatre. She currently works as an assistant director at the Lithuanian National Drama Theatre (LNDT).

The performance is in Russian with Lithuanian surtitles.

Photo by Arvydas Gudas