Highlights from the Second Press Conference
10.8.2017
On Wednesday press conference we heard interesting thoughts about the end of the world, otherness and impermanence, among other things. Here are a few selected addresses of the Main programs performances:
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Karolien De Bleser: World Without Us
Performer Karolien De Bleser told about the background of World Without Us by the Belgian theater group Ontroerend Goed. According to De Bleser the performance is based on a thought of what would happen if people would vanish from the world now. The performance offers its own view of what would happen to different objects and things in the course of time, when humans are no longer present. De Bleser told that the performance was challenging to the theatre group because it’s very different from their earlier works. Ontroerend Goed has never before done a monologue or a performance, where text would play such an important role as in World Without Us. According to De Bleser the work group made a lot of research so that the performance would be as realistic as possible.
”There is this romantic idea of the end of the world: nature is free once again. On the other hand, we have left behind things such as radioactivity, that can cause for example mutations long after the civilization has disappeared. When there are no humans, there won't be anyone to define beauty and ugliness”, De Bleser said.
Teatterimonttu
Wed at 19.30
Thu at 17.00
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Merja Pöyhönen: Romeo ja Julia
Romeo and Juliet by Aura of Puppets and TEHDAS Teatteri is a puppet theatre performance that is bold to take stand. It is based on Shakespeare’s well-known play, but instead of Verona, it takes place in a landfill slum that also reflects the reality as it was at the time the performance was created. According to director Merja Pöyhönen the performance is meant to show that being underprivileged isn’t always up to you or your decisions, but it depends on many things and also other peoples decisions.
”We got a hunger to try, if we would be able to do something really big. We wanted to prove that you can make a great spectacle even with marginalized art”, Pöyhönen told.
Hällä Stage
Wed at 19.00
Thu at 13.00
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Sonya Lindfors: Noble Savage
Sonya Lindfors said that Noble Savage brings an other perspective next to the white narrative of Pocahontas. According to Lindfors there are many levels included to the performance. On a personal level it tells for example, what it means to be a black Finn. On the other hand, on a structural level it ponders who tells the story and from what perspective. Lindfors told that it is important to raise different and diverse perspectives of the world. The performance presents various kinds of being a Finn and it’s also meant to give the audience an experience of what it feels like to be a bit on the side from the centre, as if an other.
YLE Mediapolis
Thu at 19.00
Fri at 13.00