THE EVIL SPIRIT

Rudolph Blaumanis

THE EVIL SPIRIT

Folk play in 2 parts

Director Inese Michule

Set designer – Ugis Bērziņš,

Costume designer – Ilze Vītoliņa,

Lighting artist – Krista Erdmane,

Choreographer – Liene Grava

Composer – Rihards Zaļupe

Cast: Inese Pudža, Rihards Jakovels, Aksels Aizkalns, Aigars Apinis, Ieva Estere Barkāne, Rūdis Bīviņš, Janus Johansons, Ingus Kniploks, Mārtiņš Liepa, Elizabete Milta, Kristaps Kristers Ozols, Inese Ramute, Kārlis Dzintars Zahovskis.

The lark family receives news that they have won a huge sum of money in the lottery. The unexpected win turns the usual life upside down. The landlady thinks we are a real grandmother - she no longer allows her brother to marry the one he envisioned - a simple maid, she almost drives her mother-in-law out of the house.

Who hasn't thought that it wouldn't hurt to win something bigger than an umbrella in the lottery? And who, putting his hand on his heart, is ready to say that he is ready to pass the test with honor with a lot of money?

Rudolfs Blaumanis wrote the folk play Łaunais gars in 1892. Director Inese Mičule, while staging the play today, wonders: "If we look beyond the usual designation of the play as a folk play, then we cannot help but notice that Blaumanis is talking about something very important - who are you to this world? Dust, or something more? Are you your name, your land, or your possessions? Already at the beginning of the play, the author slyly throws out the phrase that happiness cannot be separated from money like the sun from the day. And creates a thorough vortex in which the characters of the play try to balance between happiness and possessions, between feelings and mind. A person gets confused and, again quoting Blaumani, walks like a cat in smoke, and it happens like in the author's time, so nowadays."

The play was created with the support of the Boris and Inaras Teterev Foundation for the 2025/2026 season of the Valmiera Theater. in the season of the year. As the powerful cooperation continues, four new productions are created in the new season.

So far, nine new productions have reached the audience with the support of the foundation. Five of them – 2024/2025. 2018 season: Romeo and Juliet (director Inese Michule), Zilā (director Māra Ķimele), Sprīdītis (director Reinis Suhanovs), Four White Shirts (director Jānis Znotiņš) and Burvju kalns (director Toms Treinis).

The friendship between the theater and the foundation began in 2023/2024. in the season of 2018 - the theater's centenary, when four classical works of Latvian drama were staged: The Boys of Valmiera (director Jānis Znotiņš), The Widow's Son (director Viesturs Roziņš), as well as Jāzeps and his brothers (director Inese Mičule) and The Lost Son (director Reinis Suhanovs), which received special recognition from the public and critics.