ALFAS

The music theatre production “Alfas” was inspired by events that took place in Jēkabpils in January 2011, when four police officers and a civilian carried out an armed robbery at a gambling hall. They subsequently fled, and a shoot-out occurred when they were apprehended on the banks of the Daugava. The consequences were tragic: a police officer was killed in the line of duty while attempting to arrest the robbers. The incident coincided with the lowest point of the economic crisis and served as a stark reminder of the values associated with the boom years—bravado and the public celebration of an expensive, status-driven lifestyle built on credit. Although these events took place more than ten years ago and may seem like the distant past, they still raise important questions: how do we, as a society, understand the words “determination”, “strength”, “masculinity”, and “heroism”?

By re-examining and fictionalising these events in a dramatic musical form, the production offers its own version of how individual character, self-confidence, carelessness, and the situation in the country converged at a single point and led to tragedy. The performance invites reflection on the role of men in society. How do they see themselves? What is expected of them? How can they make sense of it all when they find themselves at an impasse?