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| No 1 / February 2007 |
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| News from the Finnish
Theatre Information Centre |
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| This
is a monthly bulletin informing you about theatre events, new drama and
international projects in Finland, sent to you by the Finnish Theatre
Information Centre (TINFO). Some basic information of Finnish theatre life, and links to theatres, theatre organisations and festivals you can find from our website http://www.teatteri.org/english/index.html |
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| In this issue: Finnish audience loves new Finnish plays Klemola's Kokkola in Czech Republic and Estonia Juutinen's Je suis Adolf Eichmann in Luxembourg Teatteri Hevosenkenkä to UAE and Japan Stella Polaris to Belgium New festival director for Baltic Circle News from Finnish Dramatists' Union Gregg Whelan new co-artistic director in ANTI Festival Festivals in Finland in 2007 |
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| More and more new Finnish drama The theatres and audience in Finland have an ever-increasing demand in new Finnish drama. Contemporary plays are very successful, and the theatres are eager to present new texts by domestic playwrights. On the first week of February 2007, eight new plays will have their premieres in different Finnish theatres. Altogether 25 new texts will be seen on stages during the first half of the year. Moreover, a significant part of the other premieres in theatres are new Finnish plays from recent years. Established playwrights Laura Ruohonen, Katja Krohn, Juha Jokela, Arto Salminen and Sirkku Peltola are some of the hot names of the day. And every season some young, talented playwrights make a breakthrough, like Anna Krogerus, Heini Junkkaala, Mika Myllyaho or Ari-Pekka Lahti last year. We will keep you informed on the plays to come, and provide news from the best Finnish drama now and in the future. Up |
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| Kokkola in Czech Republic and in Estonia Leea Klemola’s play Kokkola will have its premiere in two European theatres in February. Theatre Faculty of Janacek Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno, Czech Republic, chose Kokkola for the graduation-project of the students of directing, stage design, act management and theatre acting. The director of Kokkola is Alexandra Bauerova. The literary translation is by Alzbeta Stollova and Jakub Salak from the Department of Finnish Language and the finishing translation by Peter Kerlik. The premiere of will be February 17th at the student theatre Studio Marta, and Kokkola will be performed until May 2007. In Estonia, the Endla Theatre in Pärnu will play Kokkola from February 23rd onwards. The translation is by Maimu Berg and the director is Ingomar Vihmar. Leea Klemola is at the moment one of the most interesting and provocative people working in the Finnish theatre. Klemola, who started her career as an actor, is breaking the limits of art in her plays, and creating a new unashamed, honest type of expression. Kokkola is characterized by Klemola as an artic tragedy. It is an absurdly moving story with colourful characters. Kokkola had its premiere in Finland in 2004 at the Tampere Theatre. It was a huge success, and Kokkola was awarded as the Play of the Year 2005 by The Association of Finnish Theatres. The Tampere Theatre visited Moscow New Drama Festival with Kokkola in 2005. The Finnish Theatre Information Centre has promoted Kokkola within the international Janus Project. In 2006 Kokkola has been presented in scenic reading events of the Janus Project in Graz, Austria, and partly in Leeds, UK. The play has been translated into English, Russian and German, Czech and Estonian. A Hungarian translation is to be finished soon. More info on Kokkola from tinfo(at)teatteri.org Up |
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| Je suis Adolf Eichmann in Luxembourg Jari Juutinen’s play Minä olen Adolf Eichmann (Je suis Adolf Eichmann) will be played as a staged reading at Théâtre du Centaure in Luxembourg. The premiere is in February 24th. The play will have five performances until Feb 29th. The translation and adaptation into French is by Susa Mariut Klami, Marie-Claire Junker and Théo Junker, the director is Marja-Leena Junker. Minä olen Adolf Eichmann (I am Adolf Eichmann) tells the story of the well-known Nazi criminal Adolf Eichmann. He was hanged in 1962 after a trial held in Jerusalem. The play is an attempt to de-mystify Eichmann, the “Minister of Death” and the whole Nazi era. It is a play about guilt and responsibility, and about the possibilities of human grace. The play is witty and provocative, full of sorrow and shame, cruel and funny. Minä olen Adolf Eichmann had its premiere in 2005 at the Vanha Juko Theatre, in the city of Lahti. The play was also a part of the showcase in Mobile.home conference last November. Literary translations of the play have been made into English and German. http://www.theatrecentaure.lu/_tc/prog/prog.html Up |
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| Hevosenkenkä to UAE and Japan Teatteri Hevosenkenkä, a theatre for children and young audience, is visiting the Japan this year. The play is Simpanssiveljeni Bruno (My Chimpanzee Brother Bruno), a brand new play by Kirsi Aropaltio, the theatre’s manager. The theme of the play is the similarity between man and chimpanzee, and the importance of prevention of cruelty to animals. The Finnish premiere of the play is on February 8th. Simpanssiveljeni Bruno is invited to Kijo Picture Book Village, Kyushu, in July. Teatteri Hevosenkenkä has visited Kijo for four times during the last 20 years. Teatteri Hevosenkenkä represents Finland in the United Arab Emirates in the European Cultural Month organized by EU embassies in UAE. The play is Rosina ja Ritari von Rusina (Rosina and the Knight von Rusina), and the theatre will also introduce Finnish children’s culture to the audience. http://www.hevosenkenka.fi/ Up |
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| Stella Polaris to Belgium Improvisation theatre Stella Polaris is invited to the International Improvisation Theatre Festival Inspinazie in Leuven, Belgium. The other two invited groups are True Fiction Magazine from USA and Narobov from Slovenia. Stella Polaris, one of the most trend-setting improvisation companies in Europe, was presented during the first edition of the festival in 2002, and their wonderful scenes are part of the collective festival memory now. Stella Polaris is famous for its improvisation plays. The group has also produced a TV-series and a film based on improvisation. Inspinazie http://www.stella-polaris.fi/ Up |
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| New festival director to Baltic Circle Theatre director, visual artist Johanna Hammarberg is the first festival director of Baltic Circle Festival. Since 1996 the Baltic Circle project has promoted intercultural exchange primarily in the Baltic Sea region. It showcases the newest trends in contemporary theatre and brings theatre people of different countries together. Artist exchange, international co-productions and Finnish theatre export are an important part of the general plan. The Baltic Circle project has resulted in three international theatre festivals in Helsinki (2000, 2003, 2005). The next festival will take place in November 16.-24.2007 in Helsinki. http://www.q-teatteri.fi/baltic_circle/ Up |
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| News from Finnish Dramatists’ Union Finnish Dramatists’ Union comprises over 400 members who work as professional writers for stage, film, television, radio and multimedia. The Union disseminates play texts and handle performance contracts both in Finland and abroad. During the last six months the Finnish Dramatists’ Union has signed performance contracts on plays of Finnish playwrights Paavo Haavikko, Tove Jansson, Jussi Kylätasku, Reko Lundán, Sinikka Nopola, Arto Paasilinna, Pirjo Toikka, Juha Vuorinen and Hella Wuolijoki. The contracts have been made with agencies and theatres in Estonia, Latvia, Russia, Norway, Sweden, Poland, France, UK and Austaralia. The Union’s objective is to reinforce Finnish drama export in 2007-2008 by building an international agency network together with the leading international agencies. http://www.sunklo.fi/ Up |
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| Gregg Whelan to ANTI - Contemporary Art
Festival Writer, performance maker and academic Gregg Whelan from Great Britain has been appointed Co-Artistic Director of the ANTI Festival. Whelan, the director, performer and co-founder of the internationally celebrated performance company Lone Twin has already started the work with the other Artistic Director, Johanna Tuukkanen. ANTI – Contemporary Art Festival presents contemporary art of all fields from sculpture and environmental art to dance, live art and performance within Kuopio city spaces. Site-specific time based works take place in twelve selected locations around the city centre. The concept of ANTI is unique in the Finnish art scene. It is the only international festival that presents some of the latest development in performing arts and artists that traverse the borders of conventional subdivisions in art within a city environment. The previous Artistic Directors of the ANTI -festival received a State Prize for the Arts in 2006. The Call for Proposals for 2007 has begun. ANTI Festival will be organized in Kuopio in September 27.–30. 2007. ANTI -Contemporary Art Festival Up |
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| Festivals 2007 Festival de Flamenco Helsinki Helsinki, Feb 10-18 Oulu Children's Theatre Festival Oulu, Feb 19-24 Pixelache 2007 Helsinki, March 28 - April 1 Cirko Helsinki Contemporary Circus Festival Helsinki, May 3-10 Ruutia! International Dance Festival for children and Young People Helsinki, May 10-13 Kuusankoski International Children's Theatre Festival Kuusankoski, May 15-20 Kuopio Dance Festival Kuopio, June 14-20 Savonlinna Opera Festival Savonlinna, June 29 - July 28 European Women's Theatre Festival Tornio and Haparanda June 7-10 Jyväskylä Arts Festival Jyväskylä, July 11-16 Full Moon Dance Festival Pyhäjärvi, July 24-28 URB07 Helsinki, Aug 1-12 Tampere Theatre Festival Tampere, Aug 6-12 The Helsinki Festival Helsinki, Aug 17 - Sep 2 Lainsuojattomat (Outlaws) Festivaali for Independent Theatre Groups Pori, Sep 5-9 ANTI -Contemporary Art Festival Kuopio, Sep 2.-30 Moving in November Helsinki, Oct 27 - Nov 4 Baltic Circle Helsinki, Nov 16-24 Up |
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Finnish Theatre Information Centre Meritullinkatu 33 00170 Helsinki tel. +358-9-2511 2120, fax +358-9-2511 2125 tinfo(at)teatteri.org www.teatteri.org Director: Riitta Seppälä, Information Officer: Anneli Kurki, Information Secretary: Nina Jääskeläinen |
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