"THE POINT" is a fragmented, dreamlike story about an illegal space where people are euthanised. The sketch of the performance is created by constructing a fragmented narrative, metaphorically interpreting the experiences of individuals who have chosen the euthanasia procedure. The main thread of the performance is the relationship between the two characters, a man and a woman, who have chosen euthanasia. Through this relationship, the themes of life, death, meaning and love are explored.
The dramaturgical and philosophical inspiration for the sketch of the performance comes from the novel The Unbearable Lightness of Being by the Czech writer Milan Kundera.
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The most influential factor in the development and the formulation of the work's idea is the media coverage of the case of the euthanasia of a 29-year-old girl, Zoraya ter Beek in the Netherlands. In this country, euthanasia and assisted suicide have been legal since 2002, with specific criteria defined that a person and their medical condition must meet in order for a request for euthanasia to be granted. Ms ter Beek's case is exceptional, not only because of her young age, but also because of the reasons given in her application. She expressed her wish for euthanasia because of chronic depression, autism, anxiety and an unspecified personality disorder which she had been suffering from for more than 10 years without improvement. Ms ter Beek had been waiting more than three years for euthanasia authorisation. During this time, she has never questioned her decision. The procedure was carried out on a date of her choice at home in the presence of her lover. Since Z. ter Beek spoke openly about her choice to leave her life in this way on her personal social networks, she received very different reactions and comments from her followers, and subsequently from the media and medical professionals. Some defended the girl's right to make a conscious choice, while others, due to her mental health problems, compared it to a sterile suicide.
Although in our country such a procedure is illegal and not regulated by any legislation, this particular case of Z. ter Beek's case invites us to compare the differences between the concepts of euthanasia and suicide, to explore the condition of a person who has decided to withdraw from life.
Project Producer: Rusnė Kregždaitė
Communication Manager: Rasa Kregždaitė
Executive Producer: Greta Senkutė
Designer: Ieva Sutkutė
Technical Director: Vlad Bajaznyj
Premiere - 30 October 2024
Project is financed by the Lithuanian Council for Culture and the Municipality of Vilnius City.
Project organisers: the Art and Science Laboratory, the Museum of Energetics and Technique
Partners of the project: the chain of bookshops "VAGA".
