The Lovely Daughter Erika – Notes on a name

ET ALIA, KIASMA THEATRE, TEATTERI TAKOMO & SKS

Writing and dramaturgy by Emil Santtu Uuttu

Emil Santtu Uuttu found a recount of a local story in the archives of the Finnish Literature Society SKS. The story, written down by Mauno Malmberg, included a quote that caught Uuttu’s attention: “She was pleased to be called Erika.”

The Lovely Daughter Erika – Notes on a name explores the themes of remembering and history politics in the context of trans history. Some of the topics touched upon in the work include ethical history research, ableism, and name.

In historical imagination, a representation of the past is written based on source material and previous research. The word ’imagination’ describes how this representation is possible, but not necessarily true.

The performance was originally seen in the archive hall of the Finnish Literature Society, where the audience consisted of one or two people at a time. At Tampere Theatre Festival, a full audience can experience the performance simultaneously at the Bertel hall of the Finnish Labour Museum Werstas. The performance consists of audio play and video material.

The first performance of The Lovely Daughter Erika – Notes on a name was in the programmes of Teatteri Takomo and Kiasma Theatre in 2023. In the same year, Emil Santtu Uuttu was presented with the Archive Act of the Year (Vuoden arkistoteko) award for the work.


”The performance builds a connection to the past that feels very real, even comforting. It is as if recounts of the past can be dug out of and revealed from the ground of time, and nothing is permanently lost.” Matti Tuomela, HS

Full review by Helsingin Sanomat can be read here (in Finnish, for subscribers only). The review is based on the original performance held in the SKS archive hall.