Mārcis Broks iestudē Jāņa Poruka Sila ezera nolaišanu Nacionālajā

The Latvian National Theatre production of Sila ezera nolaišana premiered on October 22, bringing Jānis Porukas’s 121-year-old work back to the stage, Diena reported.

Directed by Mārcis Broks, the staging examines human attempts to subjugate nature alongside religious devotion, utilizing a set designed by Ildze Jurkovska featuring plush toys, toy tractors, and plastic water plants.

Staging Ecological Despair and Theatrical Artifice

Reviewers pointed to uneven aesthetic execution within the Aktieru zāle venue. Atis Rozentāls noted in Diena that while Broks addresses relevant themes of ecological crisis and religious influence, the staging lacks a consistently cohesive form. The production incorporates a pile of sticky black rubber pellets topped by a gray wolf plush toy, symbolizing the extinction of wolves in the Druviena forests as recounted in Porukas’s original text.

Actor Juris Hiršs delivers the most consistent performance as Trimza, portraying a character entirely overgrown with lichens who embodies an undisturbed natural state. Kārlis Reijers portrays Sīmanis alongside Ilze Reknere, and Līga Zeļģe appears as a female embodiment of Brigadere’s Old Man of the Gnomes. Ivars Puga rounds out the cast in three distinct roles, though critics observed occasional text memorization struggles.

Design Choices and Audiovisual Atmosphere

Reviewers offered praise for the technical execution of the production’s mood.

LSM reported that the theatrical premiere coincides with a series of real-world ecological events in October, including old-growth forest felling in Rucava, a World Wide Fund for Nature living planet report showing a 73% decline in wildlife populations, and the European “Rights of Nature” citizen initiative. Broks weaves these modern anxieties into Poruka’s narrative, concluding the play with Trimza’s warning that the earth will eventually reclaim human settlements.

Frequently Asked Questions about Sila Ezera Nolaišana

When did Sila ezera nolaišana premiere at the Latvian National Theatre?

The production premiered on October 22, marking the return of Jānis Poruks’s literary legacy to the stage.

Who directed the production?

The play was directed by Mārcis Broks, who also handled the dramatization of the original text.

What real-world elements were incorporated into the stage design?

Ildze Jurkovska’s set design incorporates artificial elements such as plush toys, toy tractors, plastic water plants, and a pile of black rubber pellets.