From 3 to 6 June, Daugavpils hosted a theatre festival, featuring performances by Latvian and international theatre companies. The programme was rich with high-quality productions that explored a range of timely and thought-provoking themes. The festival opened with “Zekameron” by the Belarusian independent theatre association “Volnya Kupalautsy” living in exile in Poland.
Although this is only the second year the festival has taken place in Daugavpils, the name Theatre Festival No 4 signals a longer history. The first festival took place four years ago in Ventspils, followed by editions in Riga and Daugavpils where it has settled for the time being. This year’s slogan “Latgale is close” has a double meaning with the audiences invited not only to experience bold and innovative performances but also to engage directly with the artists. Post-show conversations and panel discussions of field professionals created space for reflection, dialogue and exchange of impressions and ideas.
This year, the festival featured four Latvian theatre companies: Dirty Deal Teatro presented “It’s Our Shame’s Fault”, the Latvian Puppet Theatre (Latvijas Leļļu teātris) performed “Light, I Hear You”, Theatre Ģertrūdes ielas teātris staged “Monstera Deliciosa” and Daugavpils Theatre offered the production “Someone Will Come” (in Latgalian – “Kaids nūteikti atīs”), performed in Latgalian. The programme was further enriched by the participation of two international guest companies – Eesti Noorsooteater from Estonia and the exile Belarusian independent theatre association Volnya Kupalautsy with the play “Zekameron”, opening the festival on 3 June.
“Zekameron” is based on a book by a Belarusian political prisoner and lawyer Maksim Znak. The work contains real stories about his experiences in a detention isolator, offering rare and unfiltered insight into the realities faced by political detainees in Belarus. Before the show, Director of Daugavpils Theatre Oļegs Šapošņikovs introduced the troupe as special guests, noting that collaboration with Belarus’s most renowned theatre had originally been planned back in 2020. However, due to the pandemic performances in both Minsk and Daugavpils were cancelled.
“Volnya Kupalautsy” is composed of former members of the Yanka Kupala National Academic Theatre in Belarus, who were forced into exile following the political upheaval and mass repressions in 2020. They fled to Poland and founded the independent theatre company “Volnya Kupalautsy” (in English – “Free Kupalautsy”). The company’s participation in the festival was financially supported by the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Latvia.
In his opening speech, Stefan Eriksson, Director of the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Latvia, praised the close and successful cooperation with Daugavpils Theatre, not only in supporting this performance, but also in other joint projects. One of them was the suggestion to stage the play “Someone will Definitely Come” by Norwegian author Jun Fosse, which was also included in the festival programme and which received the Latgalian Culture Award “Boņuk 2025”.
"It is essential for all of us to stay informed about what is happening in Belarus; especially because the people there are courageously standing up for democracy right on our doorstep. I’m truly glad that voices from Belarus are being heard in Latvia as well. It’s vital that the Belarusian people are not silenced within their own borders and that their stories resonate beyond them. Meeting this theatre company also holds personal meaning for me. During my seven years at the Swedish Embassy in Belarus, the Kupala Belarusian National Theatre became a significant part of my life. Attending their performances not only deepened my appreciation of Belarusian culture, but also helped me learn the Belarusian language."
– Stefan Eriksson
The play “Zekameron” and the Theatre Festival No 4 had been widely covered in the local media:
LSM: “Teātrim jābūt stundas brauciena attālumā. “Teātra festivāla Nr. 4” izrādes un secinājumi” (in Latvian).
LSM: “Šodienas cilvēkam būtisks un vajadzīgs saturs. Daugavpilī šonedēļ notiks teātra festivāls Nr. 4” (in Latvian).
Latvijas Radio sižets “Neierastas formas un saturs. Daugavpilī notiks teātra festivāls Nr.4” (in Latvian).
Latgales Reģionālā televīzijas sižets “Teātra festivālā Nr.4 akcentē dažādību, pieejamību un teātra lomu” (in Latvian).
LSM+: “«Зэкамэрон» у Даўгаўпілсе. Пра Максіма Знака і павукоў, што захоўваюць надзею” (in Belorussian).
LSM+: “«Зекамерон» в Даугавпилсе. Про Максима Знака и пауков, что хранят надежду” (in Russian).
LSM+ interview with the “Volnya Kupalautsy” by Ludmila Vessele (in Russian).
The festival was organised by Daugavpils Theatre, Dirty Deal Teatro and Ģertrūdes Street Theatre in collaboration with the Latvian Puppet Theatre. Supporters – State Culture Capital Foundation, Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Latvia, Daugavpils municipal institution “Vienības nams” and the Latvian Historical Lands Development Programme.
