Tampere Theatre Summer Opens at Laikunlava with Free Noon Events; Eesti Draamateater’s Rahamaa Sells Out

Tampere Theatre Summer kicks off today at Laikunlava with free opening events at noon, Aamulehti reports. Admission is free.

The opening programme features an excerpt from the main production Väylä, performed by Ella Mettänen, a circus preview by Simon Llewellyn and an opening speech from Mika Myllyaho, director of the Finnish National Theatre. TelttaLab closes the ceremony with a Stevie Wonder tribute featuring vocalists Antti Kleemola and Emma Balbatsu. Earlier in the week, the Hällä stage presented Pauliina Hulkko’s Antigone-inspired piece, which blends wrestling, poetry and sound design.

The artistic directors, Hanna Rosendahl, Hilkka-Liisa Iivanainen and Tanjalotta Räikkä, have programmed 16 main productions, four of them international. The largest foreign entry is Eesti Draamateater’s Rahamaa, inspired by Estonia’s bank money-laundering scandal. Friday and Saturday performances are sold out, and the TTT main stage production involves a 50-person company. Other sold-out titles include Rovaniemi Theatre and Piste Kollektiivi’s Vesisaaren Alma and the Theatre Academy’s Kolme sisarta.

Two free street pieces appear in the main programme: Sara Twister’s Ready.Aim.Fire! at Laikunlava (Wednesday 15:00 and 16:30) and Väinö Linna Square (Thursday 12:00 and 13:30). Simon Llewellyn’s Sirkukseen! mixes Kirsi Kunnas poems, Silja Palomäki’s music and circus choreography. The off-programme features about 40 groups from Tampere and surrounding municipalities, plus visiting ensembles from Turku and Imatra. The cross-arts Event Night is on Thursday.

The opening continues Laikunlava’s busy summer role following earlier park festivals and programming changes in the area the multicultural festival at Laikunlava and the Laikku festival’s move indoors.

Coverage will be updated throughout the week.