Vilkolakis Theatre

Werewolf Theatre; Lithuanian: Vilkolakio teatras) was a private experimental theater in Kaunas, the temporary capital of Lithuania.

Established as an artists' club in 1919, it quickly grew to a cabaret show and a theater under the leadership of the theatre director Antanas Sutkus [lt].

The club held social gatherings and discussions, creative evenings, commemorations of prominent Lithuanian artists, lectures on literature and theatre, short performances.

They featured two or three short mostly improvised theatre performances that made fun of current developments in Lithuanian politics, government, culture.

Plays specifically for Vilkolakis were written by Sutkus, Vytautas Pranas Bičiūnas, Antanas Kriščiukaitis, Balys Sruoga, and others.

As a result, the plot, characters, genre, and style of the performances became more complete and mature while political and social commentary became sharper and more biting.

[3] A characteristic production of the period was Dolerių kunigaikštis (Duke of Dollars) first staged in October 1921 and reworked as Monkey Business in 1924.

In addition to performing in a rented 238-seat hall on Maironis Street in Kaunas, Vilkolakis frequently toured various Lithuanian cities and incorporated local events into its plays.

It also ran into troubles with the Lithuanian government after the premiere of Muškietieriai (loosely based on The Three Musketeers) which criticized the War School of Kaunas and military officers.

After a single showing, the play was, Sutkus was accused of disrespecting the Lithuanian Army and threatened with internal exile.

According to theatre historian Antanas Vengris, Vilkolakis wanted to "play a fun game and at the same time tell the painful truth".