Social trauma and the theatre: a study of the formation of a non-conformist identity

!e present article aims to analyse the social trauma implicit in the representation of the nonconformist identity formation in Judita Vaiciunaite’s play e Siege (Lithuanian Apsiaustis) directed by Giedrius Mackevicius. !e play re"ects on the experiences and inner states of characters as they struggle to survive in a seized city, wherein the motif of the seized city alludes to the political situation of Kaunas as a city seized by the totalitarian system. !e play was performed by an amateur group in 1971 in the Kaunas Trade Unions Palace of Culture. !e study relies on trauma studies by Danute Gailiene for the analysis of Giedrius Mackevicius’ debut experience; also it refers to the semantics of Judita Vaiciunaite’s play e Siege. In the staging of e Siege in 1971, on the contrary, the universal thematic dimension of this drama was emphasized.