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Kaunas City Chamber Theatre presents a new production — an unconventional guided walk through the spaces of the Kaunas Akropolis shopping centre, where a specially recorded audio narrative in headphones invites participants to become investigators, observers, and active participants at the same time. The work is an interactive performance “Eyes” (producer: VšĮ “Pasak”), the fourth collaboration between director Mantas Jančiauskas and playwright Rimantas Ribačiauskas in Lithuanian theatre.

Known for their earlier documentary and site-specific theatre works, the creators now turn to themes of public safety, civic resilience, and universal surveillance. “Eyes” explores the boundary between imagination and external or internal threats.

The premiere will take place on December 14 at 12:00 and 15:00. Ahead of the premiere, theatre PR representative interviewed director Mantas Jančiauskas about the concept and creative process.

– How did the idea for this experience emerge, and why did you choose a shopping centre as the location? Did you consider other spaces?

The idea of the shopping centre came quite late in the creative process. Before that, we considered other spaces such as the Tadas Ivanauskas Zoological Museum and various streets in Kaunas. Eventually, we decided on Akropolis.

Kaunas Akropolis is architecturally very interesting — it is integrated into the city’s streets, and some authentic buildings remain inside. It feels like a small city with its own rules, traffic, movement dynamics, and atmosphere. We came here, listened to the space, and allowed imagination to take over — and gradually the work began to “unlock” itself.

– How did the creative process look? Was it difficult to design an optimal route for participants?

Walking and observing were essential parts of the process. We tried to really observe the space and understand where certain content would emerge most naturally. Each space, including Akropolis itself, becomes a kind of spatial narrative — architecture that dictates its own rules and perspective.

The route kept evolving through repeated experiments. I’m glad that the audience is also given the freedom to create their own version of the journey.

– The work references China, described as a country perceived as a threat to Lithuania. What is your personal relationship or view of it?

I became acquainted with China and Eastern philosophy during my studies. One idea that stayed with me is that in Chinese tradition, human age is counted not from birth but from the moment life begins in the womb — suggesting life as a continuous process rather than a fixed point.

The more you study any topic, including China, the more you realize how little you actually know. Often, we view China primarily through a political lens — and while its political reality is significant, it is also a vast culture with deep philosophical traditions such as Daoism, which can be difficult to fully grasp from a Western perspective.

– The performance uses AI-generated voices. Why did you choose this tool?

On one hand, it is much easier to generate large amounts of text using AI than working with actors. On the other hand, it adds another layer of meaning. Today, it is possible to recreate a human voice convincingly using AI, which raises questions about what is real and what is fabricated.

This is especially relevant now, when it is increasingly difficult to distinguish between authentic material and AI-generated content.

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The interactive route begins at the partner venue Kaunas Akropolis, near the cloakroom on the 4th floor.

The premiere takes place on December 14 at 12:00 and 15:00.

The performance is funded by the Lithuanian Council for Culture and Kaunas City Municipality.