The talented young actor, for whom this is the fourth season at the Latvian National Theater since graduating from the Latvian Academy of Culture, has received the prestigious award for three roles last season – for Jacob in “The Boy Who Saw in the Dark” (2019), Nurnik in “Katls” (2019) and In the lawyers’ show “Margareta” (2020).
It probably means something
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“I still have not realized that this has happened to me,” Karl Reijer admitted in a conversation with the Independent two days after receiving the award. “Of course, at the first moment there was a big shock and at the same time happiness, because – probably it means something. And yet I haven’t fully understood what it really means and how I feel about it. “
He believes that mostly the ego of actors is not too big, many are often overwhelmed by disbelief in themselves, so each assessment of professionals gives strength and confidence to work further. “Awareness that you are valuable is very much needed. Especially at this time when nothing is happening in the theater. I think that many actors today are a bit confused, because the rhythm in which they used to work is broken. And every positive word allows you to look to the future with hope, »says the young actor. He hopes that the title of “Actor of the Year” will give him some relief – in the sense that “someone will no longer have to prove anything”. And at the same time he would like to divide this award into at least four parts, because he is convinced that all the stage artists nominated for this award this year deserve it – Andris Keišs (Eduards Smiļģis in the play “Looking for a Player”, New Riga Theater) and Ģirts Krūmiņš “In Search of the Player”, New Riga Theater), and Igors Šelegovskis (Žils in the play “The Night Begins Here”, Gertrudes Street Theater). And many others who were not nominated. In his opinion, for example, also Gundars Grasbergs (in Olli Mentima’s play “Finlandization”, Latvian National Theater).
There is no theater without spectators
Exactly a year ago, in preparation for the premiere of the show “Katls”, Kārlis Reijers in a conversation with the Independent did not hide that with each new role he is still learning, still does not know much and makes a wild mistake. He himself felt that the professional was not yet at the level he would like to be, and for the most part he did not like what and how he did it.
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“Not categorically, but I have changed my mind a bit, and this was helped by director Ināra Sluckka – during the production of the show” Katls “, she showed me a different direction, how to think about my profession, how to work. It helped me a lot throughout last season, which I have obviously held honored. But it is clear that learning in this profession will take a lifetime, “says Kārlis Reijers.
The actor reveals that active creative work is currently taking place in the theater – he is working on the director Valters Sīlis, who is staging the political thriller “Death of the Perfect Sentence” by Estonian writer Reinis Rauds, the premiere of which is scheduled for December 6. This work is dedicated to a time that was also special in Latvia – in the late 1980s, when the Soviet Union was in trouble, people had the opportunity to think and act freely, people lived in euphoria meters above the ground, because they occasionally gathered in demonstrations, stood shoulder to shoulder and finally felt brave. However, there were still vigilant eyes in gray civilian clothes that closely followed freedom lovers.
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“According to national regulations, the premiere will be for” internal use only “. But when the audience has the opportunity to come to the theater again, we will be ready to play it, »says the actor of the new production Ervin Vesiros, adding: who knows when it will be…
“Working without spectators is a kind of death, it is just a self-affirmation to oneself. Because theater is a conversation, but if there are no spectators in the hall to talk to, there is no theater… »considers the best actor of last theater season.
Values need to be reviewed
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Asked how the dark and wet autumn, which is still a pandemic, affects his emotional mood, Kārlis Reijers refuses: with the opportunity to work and the process of staging new performances, the actors are now lucky. Because there is no time to be in everyday events outside the world. Unlike spring, when everyone had to sit at home and tormented by ignorance of what was going on…
“The weather is very interesting. I’ve been thinking a lot since the spring about what’s going on in the world. If it’s all a natural process, then our beloved land or someone up there, whoever calls it, wants to tell us something important. But – I’m not very sure that we listen to it and know how to hear it. Perhaps we need to calm down a bit and rethink the values that are important and significant to humanity and human life. Maybe we need to slow down a bit with materialism and the new technologies we are drowning in, maybe we need to go back to nature, because – we are all part of nature, not part of some fictional society. What will be the new world that is obviously coming? … Yes, I think about it a lot and believe that we should prepare for it calmly, thinking and arranging values sensibly, »says the talented young actor.
KĀRLIS REIJERS• Actor of the Latvian National Theater • Born on May 10, 1994 in Priekule • Education: Bārta Primary School, Kalēti Music School, Liepāja State 1st Gymnasium, Latvian Academy of Culture (2017) • Repertoire roles: Gaston – in A. Ditch’s play “Whales are also afraid” (dir. E. Seņkovs, 2018), Gatiņš – Rainis “Blow, winds!” (dir. E. Seņkovs, 2018), several roles – J. Baloža’s “Under Two Flags” (dir. V. Sīlis, 2019), Jēkabs – R. Bugavičute-Poe’s “The Boy Who Saw in the Dark” (2019, dir. V. Sīlis), in the actors’ joint work “Real Salt Bread” (2020), “Margareta” (dir. R. Suhanovs, 2020), Ervin Vesiros – R. Rauda in the political thriller “Death of the Perfect Sentence” (dir. V. Sīlis, 2020) • “Players’ Night 2016/2017” nomination “Young Performer of the Year” (for Jura’s role in the show “Blue”, dir. T. Treinis) • “Players’ Night 2019/2020” award in the category “Actor of the Year” (for roles in the Latvian National Theater – Jēkabs in the play “The Boy Who Seen in the Dark”, Ņurņiks in the play “Katls” and Lawyer in the play “Margareta”) |
Winners of the Theater Awards «Players’ Night» 2019/2020 season:
Lifetime Achievement Award:
director Māra Ķimele and actor Leonīds Lencs
ANNUAL PERFORMANCE – «Grand Prix»:
“The boy who saw in the dark” (Latvian National Theater, director Valters Sīlis)
Big form show of the year:
«Shakespeare »(Liepaja Theater, director Elmars Senkovs)
Small form show of the year:
“The Boy Who Saw in the Dark” (Latvian National Theater, director Valters Sīlis)
Annual show for children:
“The courtyard comes to life” (Valmiera Summer Theater Festival, director Toms Treinis)
Annual show for teenagers:
«The Dirty Deal Teatro, directed by Krista Burāne
Director of the year:
Valters Sīlis (“The Boy Who Saw in the Dark” and “Finlandization” – at the Latvian National Theater, “Looks like you’re going to die » (with Kati Krolli) – «Dirty Deal Teatro», «Victory is a moment »- Valmiera Summer Theater Festival)
Actress of the year:
Inese Kučinska (Richard III in the play “Shakespeare”, Liepaja Theater)
Actor of the Year:
Kārlis Reijers (Jēkabs in the play “The Boy Who Saw in the Dark”, Ņņņiks in the play “Katls”, Lawyer in the play “Margarēta”, Latvian National Theater)
Actress of the Year in the background:
Elita Kļaviņa (Felicita Ertnere in the play “Finding a Player”, New Riga Theater)
Actor of the Year in the background:
Kaspars Dumburs (Louis in the play “Night Starts Here”, Gertrudes Street Theater)
Young performing artist of the year:
1. Kārlis Arnolds Avots (in the 5th performance “Breath”, Daile Theater, Dmitrijs Prokofjevičs Razumihins in the performance “Step 731”, Valmiera Drama Theater)
2. Rihards Zelezņevs (Klāvs in the play “Plastic Hooligans”, theater association “PERFOrācija”, role in the play “Courtyard comes to life”, Valmiera Summer Theater Festival, roles in the online show “Vol.1 ANTIŅŠ”, theater association “PERFOrācija”, Colleague in the play “Medības », Theater association« Esarte »in cooperation with the Latvian Academy of Culture)
Annual achievement in original drama:
Team of authors: Krista Burāne, Laila Burāne, Marija Luīze Melke, Kirils Ēcis and Raimonds Ķirķis, «Dirty Deal Teatro»
Set designer of the year:
Reinis Suhanovs (Shakespeare, Liepaja Theater, Margaret, Latvian National Theater)
Costume Designer of the Year:
Madara Botmane (“Alice in Wonderland”, Latvian National Theater, “Swamp Wanderer in the Fire”, Liepaja Theater)
Artist of the Year:
Lienīte Slišāne (“The Boy Who Saw in the Dark”, Latvian National Theater)
Video Artist of the Year:
Gints Gabrāns, Toms Zeļģis, Gustavs Voldemārs Lociks (“Alice in Wonderland”, Latvian National Theater)
Artist of the Year:
Elīna Gediņa (“Empty Flower (Jerma)”, Latvian National Theater, “α Sapiensi”, Valmiera Summer Theater Festival, theater association “Esarte”)
Author of the musical score of the year:
Anna Ķirse (“Zalkša’s Bride”, New Riga Theater, “Breath”, Daile Theater)
Annual event in the digital environment:
Webcast “Iran Conference” (director Elmars Senkovs)
Viewers Andris Keišs has been recognized as the best actor of the year, but the honor of the actress of the year has been awarded to Inese Kučinskas. The best show of the year, in the opinion of the spectators, was “Shakespeare” at the Liepaja Theater.
* The new productions of the season were watched, evaluated and the winners were nominated by a jury of five people: Līga Ulberte (theater scientist, chairman of the jury), Andra Rutkēviča (theater critic), Eduards Liniņš (commentator, translator), Undīne Adamaite (theater critic) and Jevgēņija Šermenņeva (theater journalist, producer).
* This year, the “Players’ Night” awards were presented for the 27th time and the ceremony was broadcast live from Liepaja by Mārtiņš Kalita, Rasa Bugavičute-Pēce, “-8”, Dainars Albužis, Mārtiņš Feldmanis, Milda Ziemane, Raitis Beķeris, Jevgenija Skoraja and Asnate Siloriņa
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