Steps of Criticism of the Lithuanian Theatre (1904-1914)

Straipsnyje analizuojama lietuvių teatro kritikos padėtis kultūrinių draugijų gyvavimo metais (1904–1914). Aptariami rašiusiųjų apie teatrą darbai, kultūros veikėjų pasisakymai apie tuometinio teatro kritikos būklę. Straipsnio tikslas – įvardyti šiame dešimtmetyje įvykusius poslinkius lietuvių teatro kritikos raidoje.The article analyses the situation of Lithuanian theatre criticism at the time of the existence of cultural societies (1904–1914). Works of the people who wrote about the theatre are discussed, utterances of cultural workers about the condition of the then theatre are considered. The aim of the article is to identify changes that took place in the development of Lithuanian theatre criticism during that decade. In the development of the Lithuanian theatrical thought, the end of the 20th century’s first decade is accentuated, when a group of public figures actively prepared to commemorate the ten year anniversary of the “America in the Bath” performance in Palanga. One of them, Gabrielius Landsbergis-Žemkalnis, very specifically formulated the criteria for the further development of the theatre as well as for the enhancement of theatre criticism. At that time, cultural and public figures wrote about the issues of theatre art; among them were Sofija Čiurlionienė-Kymantaitė, Ona Pleirytė-Puidienė, Antanas Smetona, Balys Sruoga and Liudas Gira. In 1920, when professional theatre had developed, it was difficult for the critics to let go the ways of thinking and writing that were left over from the times of amateur theatre. The situation changed only in the beginning of the fourth decade when a new generation, members of B. Sruoga’s theatre seminar, began to work in the press