Vyte Garriga is bringing her debut play Paper Swans to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this August. In a touching, heartfelt and funny performance, the Lithuanian writer and performer tells the story of a never-ending cycle of encounters between two people, accompanied by originally composed music by Nick Hart and encompassing the Theatre of the Absurd.
Tell us about Paper Swans…
Paper Swans is my first play. It is rooted in the tradition of the theatre of the Absurd and draws on my experience as a female immigrant from a post-Soviet country (Lithuania) coming to the UK and the need to simply exist without having to explain myself. It is set in a closed park at night, where the security guard finds a woman in a ballet dress making paper swans. His pursuit to find out the reason behind her actions locks them in a never-ending cycle of having to encounter each other again and again. It is also very funny.
How much of your Lithuanian background is shown in, or has influenced Paper Swans?
I am playing the Girl, so the Lithuanian character is already there. Nick Hart is composing the music influenced by Lithuanian folk songs, so the soundscape is also bringing my background to the piece. However, the Lithuanian aspect is not at the forefront of the piece; it’s rather a sense that my identity offers by default: I was born in Soviet Lithuania. We got independent 9 months later, so I grew up in the country that was trying to rediscover itself after not being allowed to exist for a very long time. The themes of oppression, freedom of speech, and one’s place in the world are definitely there. But the piece itself is first and foremost about two people trying to find a way to co-exist without having to justify themselves.
Who is Paper Swans for? What is the dream audience?
Paper Swans is a piece for dreamers, adventurers and anyone interested in learning something new about the world. Our dream audience would be anyone from 12 to 99 that isn’t afraid of something a little strange, a little unknown; anyone who likes to look for a bit of magic in the mundane; it’s for the poets of the everyday. And for anyone with a good sense of humour.
What message do you hope this show conveys?
It’s not a piece that overtly tries to convey a message- I don’t write that way. When people ask me what Paper Swans is about, I tell them that it changes everyday. I see it like a surrealist painting instead, where everyone will be able to see something different rather than a story that tries to make a point. But the themes of freedom, oppression and ability to be oneself without having to explain or justify it are very much there.
The only thing I wouldn’t want people to feel is small or ill-equipped to understand it: there is a misconception that the Theatre of the Absurd is pretentious. No. It simply doesn’t follow a linear narrative that we are used to but that is exactly why we should lean into the feelings it creates- it is trying to shake us out from being too much in our heads, inviting us not to take ourselves too seriously and reminding us what simply being feels like.
How did you get involved in myths, surrealism and dream logic?
I was always interested in fairytales, magic, optical illusions. Then when I was at university, we looked at the Surrealists and their way of seeing the world and I simply felt at home. I enjoy their approach to life: they are trying to show us that we should take ourselves with a pinch of salt, that life can be magical – one just needs to let go of control. Also, their writing techniques freed me as a writer: I find automatic writing the best way for me to get out of my writer’s block and simply put my ideas on the page without any pressure of having to be good, articulate my ideas or make sense (in the beginning. Then, of course, I need to edit everything).
What advice would you give to the younger generation who want to pursue a career in theatre?
Go for it! But don’t restrict yourself to one role aka an actor, director, playwright. Try all of those paths because it will only make you a better storyteller.
Paper Swans will be performed at 11.05am in the Pleasance Courtyard (Upstairs) from the 31st July – 25th August (Not 14th)
Booking Link: https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/paper-swans