Event: Lithuania - Vilnius

Sirenos International Theatre Festival

When:	Sep 2008 (annual)
Where:	Vilnius
Costs:	Various
Opening Hours:	Various

The Vilnius International Theatre Festival, showcasing the latest in new and alternative theatre, was named Sirenos, or "Sirens", in honour of the ancient mythological women who tempted passing sailors with their mesmerising song. Sirenos is one of a number of the Lithuanian capital's festivals building up to Vilnius status as a European Capital of Culture in 2009.

First held in 2004, the first three festivals had distinct themes (new directors, social theatre and, in 2006, new spaces), while the fourth in 2007 looked for eternal theatrical themes in its productions that included Jan Fabre's Requiem for a Metamorphoses (co-produced with the Salzburg Festival and Ruhr Triennial) and Valery Deloince's Monologues at Moret-sur-Raguse, an installation based piece based on Patrick Kermann's The Murmurs of the Dead from France's Théâtre du Soliloque.

There was also a new show from The Tiger Lilies (of Shockheaded Peter fame), again taking children's tale as its basis, this time Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Match Girl, directed by Dan Jemmett. And that is just the international visitors - each year Lithuanian directors and companies showcase their work.

Keep an eye on both the Sirenos and Vilnius Festivals websites for news of the forthcoming festival.