The directory «Plots»

Vilkutaitis-Keturakis Juozas
(1869—1948)

Juozas Vilkutaitis was born in Gulbiniskiai on March 1, 1869. An accident at the age of seven, which necessitated the amputation of his leg 12 years later, prevented him from pursuing a formal education. With help from his uncle (a priest) and student friends he became self-educated. A stay with his brother in Transcaucasia (1891-94) broadened his cultural horizons. Upon returning to Lithuania, he settled on a small farm he had inherited near Balbieriskis (1896-1908). Having acquired a competence in legal matters, he was appointed justice of the Fifth District Court at Marijampole in 1908, serving until 1915, when he retreated to Russia with many thousands of other Lithuanians. After the reestablishment of independent Lithuania he was appointed Seinai district judge (1919) and organized the peace tribunal at Prienai (1920). From 1924-39 he was the notary public in Prienai. He withdrew to Germany in 1944 and until his death on Sept. 11, 1948, lived in the Lithuanian refugee camp at Augsburg.

In 1890-91 he began writing for Lithuanian underground periodicals under the pseudonym of Keturakis. His translation of the Polish story Kas kaltas (Who is to blame?) appeared in an 1891 issue of Ukininkas. An original humorous piece, Kaip Mikas apsidziauge cebatais (How Mike enjoyed his boots), was published in a supplement the next year. The American publication Vienybe Lietuvinku carried his story Gaisras (The Fire) in 1892. Three years later Amerika pirtyje appeared in Ukininkas. The bibliographer Silvestras Baltramaitis (q. v.) ascribed the work to Antanas Vilkutaitis. Other contemporary intellectuals (Kazys Grinius, Petras Leonas, Juozas Tumas-Vaizgantas) held the author to be Juozas Vilkutaitis. This latter view long predominated in Lithuanian textbooks and encyclopedias. It is likely that both brothers played a hand in writing the comedy.

Amerika pirtyje is a realistic play describing one aspect of late 19th century Lithuanian country life - the desire to go to America. Vincas, a clever village tailor, becomes amorous with Agota, a farmer's daughter, promises to marry her and take her to America with him. After she gives her prospective husband money she has stolen from her father, he locks her up in the bathhouse and takes off alone. The comedy is marked by lively action, well-drawn characters, and witty dialogue. The comic elements are handled naturally and with taste. The play is the first noteworthy work of the comic genre in Lithuanian literature, and has been widely staged in Russia, Lithuania and America (see Theater). It was separately published in 1895, 1904, 1921, and 1966, and has been translated into Russian (1902) and Belorussian (1933).

Lithuania, 1999, Cast and Produsers; Playbill