Frenchman Jerome Bel (right) and Thai classical dancer Pichet Klunchun will perform two modern dance shows at Homo Novus Sept. 7 and 8 at 7 p.m. at New Riga Theatre Small Hall, Lāčplēša 25, Riga. Photo courtesy of Homo Novus.

RIGA — Riga residents will be able to choose from a plethora of European theater shows over the next two weeks as the city plays host to the eighth international theater festival Homo Novus.

Festival director Gundega Laiviņa said this year’s event features a diverse program, incorporating theater, dance, cinema and illusion.

“We try to focus on performances which are important at this particular moment, to react to different social situations, so it’s [the festival] always changing,” Laiviņa told Baltic Reports.

The event opened with long-time festival favorite Kristian Smeds’ “God is Beauty,” a poetic play about the life of eccentric Finnish painter Vilho Lampi.

The Finnish-born director will also be on stage with his theater hobby group Houkka Brothers in the living room musical “Children, Birds and Flowers”, while another Finn, circus artist Jani Nuutinen, invites audiences to a minimalistic contemporary shadow and illusion show.

A scene from edgy Hungarian play "Frankenstein Project" which will be staged as part of Riga's international theater festival. Photo courtesy of Homo Novus.

From Hungary comes the tense “Frankenstein Project” by successful film and theater director Kornél Mundruczó, an arresting drama which explores the definitions of good and evil.

Also on the program are two dance works. In “Klunchun and Myself” provocative French choreographer Jerome Bel and classical Thai dancer Pichet Klunchun engage in a brilliantly funny dialogue about themselves. Estonia’s Mart Kangro makes a determined effort to strike up a relaxed conversation with the audience in his Rolling Stones-inspired dance piece “Can’t Get No Satisfaction”.

Latvian contributions

Alongside celebrated international artists this year’s event also showcases emerging local talent from Latvia’s youngest generation.

As part of the Prove II project festival organizers invited promising young Latvian theater directors to create original pieces for performance. Audiences will also have the opportunity to see the works of last year’s graduates Valters Sīlis and Inese Mičule, as well as a special school project created in collaboration with Latvian director Mārtiņš Eihe and Liepāja theater students.

The event was first held in Daugavpils in 1995 before moving to Riga. Organizers hope to eventually expand the festival to include other regions of Latvia.

Tickets are available at www.bilesuserviss.lv, booking-offices, and before performances at the venue.

Homo Novus continues until September 12. For a full program and further information about this year’s festival visit www.homonovus.lv.