Kaspars Znotiņš, a leading actor at the New Riga Theatre (JRT), maintains that the most profound aspects of theatrical performance reside in a “silence zone” that defies verbal explanation. After nearly three decades on stage, Znotiņš argues that attempting to over-intellectualize the craft risks losing its essential truth. His recent work, ranging from the titular role in Don Quixote to the patriarch in Indrāni, reflects a career defined by a blend of technical discipline and an intentional rejection of traditional “acting” in favor of lived presence.
The Evolution of Performance: From “Acting” to Being
Znotiņš credits his foundational training at the Latvian Academy of Culture with shifting his perspective on the craft. Under the guidance of pedagogues Anna Eižvertiņa, Pēteris Krilovs, and Edmunds Freibergs, he was taught not to “act” but to exist within the role. According to Znotiņš, this required a painful shedding of pre-academy notions of theatricality. He recalls early student exercises—such as his work on Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita—where the focus was on raw, unvarnished connection rather than performance art. This era of “experimental” learning, shared with peers like Gatis Šmits and Regnārs Vaivars, fostered a resistance to the mainstream theatre conventions of the 1990s.
Znotiņš recalls the challenge of his first-year studies, which involved replacing his initial ideas of theatricality with the requirement of not acting rather than acting, and he believes that for an actor to be interesting in the theatre, they must be disharmonious.
The Alvis Hermanis Method and Collective Creation
Znotiņš’s decision to join the New Riga Theatre (JRT) in the mid-1990s followed an invitation from director Alvis Hermanis, despite offers from the National Theatre and the Dailes Theatre. He describes Hermanis’s leadership as a paradox: an authoritarian structure that simultaneously grants actors absolute creative freedom. This is best exemplified by productions like Latvian Stories (2004) and Latvian Love (2006). In these projects, the troupe was tasked with interviewing strangers and building narratives from real lives. Znotiņš admits this process was challenging, as it blurred the lines between journalism and art, forcing him to navigate the ethics of privacy and the limits of his own role as a storyteller.
Political Satire and the Modern Stage
Peterson. The Century Duel.
Legacy and the Influence of Ādolfs Šapiro
This dedication to the craft is what Znotiņš hopes to carry forward, whether through his ongoing work with the texts of Imants Ziedonis or his evolving portrayal of the father in Indrāni.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Znotiņš’s approach to preparing for a role?
- How does Znotiņš view the role of the actor in politics?
- Why does Znotiņš consider Ziedonis and the Universe a significant work? He identifies with the late poet Imants Ziedonis, whose work he believes captures a uniquely Latvian intonation and spirit that remains relevant to modern audiences.
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