A New Playwrighting in Riga’s Blossom in Landmark Sets Stage: A Remarkable Theater’s Original New Production, ‘River
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The New Riga Theatre is once again proving its prowess in playwriting, demonstrating it’s just as skilled at creating original works as it is at staging them with its latest production, “Apple Blossoms on the River.”
The New Riga Theatre (JRT) is taking a bold approach, essentially going it alone – a solo performance against potentially stacked odds. The theatre seems to prefer navigating challenges independently, rather than collaborating with those who might offer unhelpful input. Because, as they see it, there’s no shortage of those offering unsolicited opinions – from playwrights introducing problematic elements, to teachers of actors and directors offering critiques, to bureaucrats and critics who believe they know best, and even audience members convinced they know exactly how a role should be played, referencing past performances by Latvian acting legend Vija Artmane.
But what happens when Artmane (1929-2008) is no longer with us, or Gunars Cilinskis (1931-1992) for that matter, and now even Gunars Placēns (1927-2024) has passed? The JRT responded by staging another original play created within the theatre itself, which premiered on November 25th. The script is credited to Margarita Zieda, head of the JRT’s literary department, and Alvis Hermanis, the theatre’s artistic director, who also directed and designed the set.
This theatre season, JRT began with another original production, “The Taste of Ice,” created by a different author and director, but using a similar in-house approach. However, the second half of the season, slated to begin in 2026, will take a dramatically different turn. The theatre has announced a production, expected to debut in late January, that will offer a fresh take on the well-known adventures of Don Quixote, as described by Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616) in his works from 1605 and 1615.
The Theatre’s Winning Hand
In theatrical terms, JRT has secured a winning hand, a strategy that almost guarantees success.
As the production notes reveal, the story of Zaķusala continues the narrative begun in a film made between 1970 and 1974, titled “Apple in the River.” The stage adaptation is called “Apple Blossoms on the River.” The key difference is that a theatrical production is more ephemeral; it dissolves and fades into the audience’s memories, leaving behind fragments, while a film has a greater staying power, preserving its original look, feel, and essence for a longer period.
A major strength of “Apple Blossoms” is the performance of Ivars Kalniņš, who appears both as a live actor onstage and as the character from the 1970 film, shown on a screen integrated into the set.
It’s important to note that this isn’t about comparing acting skills or life experience between Kalniņš and his co-star, Agate Krista. They aren’t playing first and second leads; they are equal partners. Agate, born in 1998, confidently believes she can achieve what Ivars, born in 1948, has accomplished, and has 50 more years to potentially revisit the story of Zaķusala in a future production.
Preserving Artistic Value
It’s likely that a recording of “Apple Blossoms on the River” will be archived for future use. The play is currently being performed in the JRT’s New Hall, which is larger than the Small Hall, and this space has been used to bring the actors closer to the audience while creating distance from the screen displaying clips from “Apple in the River.” These distances are carefully calibrated so that A. Krista’s figure in a swimsuit visually aligns with the women filmed in swimsuits on Zaķusala in 1970, captured by cinematographer Dāvis Sīmanis (1942-2007).
Capturing that visual impact in a recording will be a challenge. The creation of “The White Helicopter” in both theatrical and cinematic formats provides a clear example of how film often surpasses a theatrical recording, provided the play itself is as powerful as the film. However, it’s unlikely that the story of Zaķusala will be adapted into a full-fledged film.
Atlantis That Isn’t Underwater
Alvis Hermanis has likened Zaķusala to Atlantis, a once-inhabited territory that, according to ancient Greek legends, sank beneath the waves. Quoting from the program notes, Hermanis describes the play as being “about a small Latvian model/mock-up, where incredibly vibrant life once flourished. But it was sacrificed to make way for two towers, which now symbolize the official version of what goes on in the average Latvian’s mind.”
This is a reference to projects undertaken during the Soviet era. Indeed, the construction of two hydroelectric power stations led to the flooding of the area, and the plans for a third station became a stumbling block for Soviet Latvia. This includes the Ķegums HES, built during the Ulmanis era, as well as the Pļaviņas HES and Rīgas HES, and the ultimately unrealized Daugavpils HES.
The most well-known location on the map of Latvian Atlantis is Staburags, but the play correctly focuses on Zaķusala, because it remains above water, making the story all the more visible. Anyone can visit Zaķusala and see that the island exists, and discover that it was once a fully developed urban area, of which there is now no trace. Even more astonishing is the fact that the film “Apple in the River” presents a fabricated version of this past.
Therefore, what once existed is no longer accessible without the use of specialized equipment, such as diving gear, to explore the remnants of former homes beneath the Pļaviņas HES or Rīgas HES.
Today, Zaķusala is home to only two, or three including the Salu Bridge, massive concrete structures, one surviving residential building from the old development, and one house currently under construction:
Zaķusala for the Hares!
Online images show the entire island developed as if the “incredibly vibrant life” envisioned by Hermanis had been fully restored. These aren’t fantasies, but the plans of the construction company Merks. The company has only implemented a proposal to erect a sign on the island announcing a public discussion about the construction of a relatively small residential complex in 2022. As of late 2025, there’s been no further progress on the construction.
Whether the island’s abandonment is seen as positive or negative depends on individual and collective perspectives. A lack of residents in Riga is a drawback, as a larger population would support a sufficient number of theatergoers. However, JRT’s performances are consistently sold out, even with the current population. Alternatively, leaving the island to nature is arguably far superior to developing it according to the standards of the “average Latvian brain” – a boxy, standardized development designed to meet European Union energy efficiency requirements.
Perhaps the true losses of Zaķusala are best understood in Ķīpsala, which avoided the fate of Zaķusala and now reflects in the waters of the Daugava:
It happened that between the premiere of “Apple Blossoms on the River” and today, news emerged from Hong Kong about a burned-out apartment complex, similar to the planned development on Zaķusala, but with taller buildings. More grimly, the number of confirmed deaths and missing persons continued to be revised. A recent fire in a row house in Latvia, while thankfully without fatalities, revealed that construction in Latvia also often falls short of fire safety and common-sense standards.
Therefore, it’s best to appreciate Zaķusala in its current state, even if the hare population hasn’t yet recovered. This conclusion was reached after walking the island on Thursday morning this week, when it was covered in freshly fallen snow. If a hare had been hopping around, it would have left footprints in the snow, with the marks of its hind legs alongside those of its front paws.
“Apple Blossoms on the River” is a one-act play lasting about 90 minutes. In many cases, such a performance can fit into people’s overall lifestyles or schedules on a given evening. A compliment to the creators of the play – their stories about Zaķusala are interesting to listen to, but also a little sad because the stories end too soon.
