Performances suitable for a non-Finnish-speaking audience
23.7.2024
The 55th edition of Tampere Theatre Festival will take place from 5 to 11 August 2024.
The diverse programme of this year’s festival features multiple performances that are suitable for a non-Finnish speaking audience as well. Some of these are performed in English and some include subtitles, while others transcend language for example in the form of thrilling physical theatre or touching musical performances.
The Main Programme
Performed in English
SATAN is a playfully autobiographical play and a gripping solo performance by Swedish actor-director Iggy Malmborg.
Out of the Blue is both an analytical case study and a love letter to the underwater world. The show, created by the Belgian creative duo Silke Huysmans and Hannes Dereere, is based on via-satellite conversations with vessels in the Pacific.
English subtitles available
Catarina and the Beauty of Killing Fascists revolves around our personal and collective responsibility for the future of democracy. The play is directed by Tiago Rodrigues, one of Europe’s leading theatremakers. Performed in Portuguese, subtitles in English.
The following two performances performed in Finnish will feature English subtitles that can be read through the Subtitle Mobile app. Read more about how to use the application here.
Plup Plup by actor Samuli Niittymäki and team takes us to a test lab to witness the last days of a lab rat. The unique combination of physical theatre and animal perspective explores loneliness and inactivity in a way you haven't seen before.
Death in Venice is a visually gorgeous adaptation of Thomas Mann’s classic novella, co-produced by Oulu Theatre and Carl Knif company. The performance combines visual elements and movement to depict the story of an ageing writer’s final attempt to find a new path.
Physical theatre and circus art – suitable for everyone regardless of language
TRANSIT is a surreal physical theatre piece by the Dutch mime duo Tom de Ronde and Nick Deroo. The show draws inspiration from the traditions of both physical theatre and mime, as well as from pop culture and cinematic theatre.
Tipping Point – Balancing in a Time of Change is a circus spectacle by the pioneering Swedish group Cirkus Cirkör. Through various forms of circus art, the show questions our views on societal structures.
T Lab & Brunch Concert
Music
La Tierra Blanca is a unique combination of the familiar Northern landscape and Spanish flamenco, created by singer Anna Murtola.
Maria Ylipää & Marzi Nyman will perform a concert that is an intense clash of musical genres and full of surprises. Musical hits, chansons, pieces of Piazzolla and Piaf – and not forgetting instinctive improvisation.
Tuulensuu Palace Brunch Concert: Samuli Edelmann
The Brunch Concert takes place on Saturday of the festival week again, this year at a new venue. The concert at Tuulensuu Palace is headlined by beloved singer and actor Samuli Edelmann.
OFF Tampere
Performed in English
Life Under The Sun – Part 1 is a theatre show that explores the biggest question of all: “What’s the point?” There are separate performances in Finnish and in English – check the times!
Habama Chaa !!! is a combination of music and drama that pushes artistic boundaries. Different art forms and elements create a visual entity that captivates the audience. Performed in English.
Physical theatre and circus art – suitable for everyone regardless of language
Circus Ruska Festival brings joyous circus performances on the streets and squares of Tampere as part of the OFF Tampere programme:
Spinsane
Rafla by Kate & Pasi
Red Hot Condition by Company Afterlap
Music
Park Concert 2024 is an annual concert performed by the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra at Sorsapuisto park. This year’s theme is “dance throughout the ages”.
Pow – Cosmic Boogie is a concert where Matilda Mother band will perform their own English-language production. The band like to play by their own rules: breaking rhythms, running scales freely and improvising.
Katz Improv! is a performance where jazz pianist and composer Kalle Katz improvises on the piano, drawing inspiration from the topics, anecdotes, memories and words from the audience. Each concert is unique, and the genres vary from jazz, etno and pop to classical and children’s music.
Other events and happenings
Open discussion: Theatre of Change?
Discussion on the purpose of theatre in times of change. Keynote address by professor Maria Delgado (The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, London) and commentary by artistic director Linda Zachrison (Göteborgs Stadsteater), followed by an open discussion.
The Great Nocturnal Happening will take over the city of Tampere again on Thursday, 8 August. The diverse lineup includes over 140 different events, exhibitions, workshops, walking tours… you name it! Most of the events are free of charge and many of them are perfectly suitable for non-Finnish speakers as well.