Tampere Workers' Theatre opens Ratinen song evening at new 60-seat stage

Tampere Workers' Theatre (Tampereen Työväen Teatteri, TT) opens a new 60-seat lounge stage at the former Kulttuuriravintola Kivi on 5 November with Arttu Ratinen's song evening Ikuinen uni, Tamperelainen reports.

Ratinen's show blends familiar and previously unperformed songs by Kaj Chydenius with poems by Federico García Lorca and personal stories from Ratinen's life. He will be accompanied by guitarist Juha Junttu and pianist Arto Piispanen. "I realized that now is the right time to sing these songs and tell the stories that are important to me," Ratinen said in a press release.

The announcement comes as the theatre—still partly unfinished after a major refurbishment—reported about 84,000 attendees in the 2025–2026 season. The biggest draws were Niskavuoren nuori emäntä (17,026), Romeo ja Julia (16,634) and Alivuokralainen (16,280).

Mikko Kanninen, the theatre director, called the figures satisfying given that one stage was unavailable all season, the old Kulttuuriravintola Kivi served as a temporary refreshment space and another café area functioned as a construction site. He highlighted a record share of young viewers: roughly one third were students or under-25s, boosted by Paavo Westerberg's Romeo ja Julia.

Looking ahead, the theatre's major new production, the musical Laulavat sadepisarat, opens on the main stage on 9 September. Directed by chief director Hilkka-Liisa Iivanainen, the show features 21 performers including Tuukka Raitala, Emmi Nieminen and Miikka Wallin, with Henri Lyysaari conducting an 11-piece orchestra. Organisers say about half the tickets are already sold.