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THE FINNISH NATIONAL THEATRE

The National Theatre

The first Finnish-language professional theatre to be established in Finland was founded in 1872 and given the name The Finnish Theatre. The birth of The Finnish Theatre was closely linked to the emergence of a national consciousness. All forms of culture were fully employed in the struggle against Russian domination. Moreover, the effort to resist the dominant Swedish-speaking culture created its own agenda for the Finnish language.

The theatre moved to its current premises in 1902, when it also acquired the name of Finnish National Theatre. It was never to become a state-owned theatre however. Although it enjoys public funding, the theatre is still owned by a private foundation and nominates its own Director. In 1954, the theatre expanded to include a second stage which was chiefly used for performing modern drama. A third stage was built in 1976, and a fourth, the smallest, in 1987.

The fundamental artistic policy of the theatre has remained largely unchanged throughout its 136-year existence. World classics, both ancient and modern. have always been seen as an essential part of the programme. The theatre also takes pride in being a gateway to the avant-garde of international drama. Another major, important responsibility of the theatre is to nurture and promote Finnish-language drama.

The National Theatre also plays a key role in the education of new generations of theatre-goers, ensuring that plays for children and young people are always included in the repertoire. Over the past ten years, the Finnish National Theatre has been particularly committed to offering employment opportunities to newly qualified artists in the field of theatre. The in-house company has become younger and the theatre is increasingly popular with younger audiences.

International exchange has traditionally been one of the theatre's major activities. In its earliest days the theatre existed as a touring company, regularly visiting St Petersburg. Since then, the Finnish National Theatre has travelled to many European countries and the United States, and hosted performances by a wide range of European theatres and guest directors. A new international phase began in 1996, when the Finnish National Theatre was accepted into the Union of European Theatres (Union de Théâtres de l'Europe). This membership has enabled educational exchange and performance tours, as well as the theatre's presence at many international festivals.

The Finnish National Theatre has played a decisive role in Finnish cultural life for over 130 years, and it continues to do so today with a repertoire which explores new forms of theatre, aims for artistically challenging productions, and responds to those barely perceptible, burgeoning new currents in society.

Maria-Liisa Nevala
Director of the Finnish National Theatre

Current Season

The coming year marks a change for the Finnish National Theatre as the current Director, Maria-Liisa Nevala retires in August 2010 after over 18 years of dedicated service and the newly appointed Director, Mika Myllyaho takes over. Nevala has been widely praised and rewarded for her innovative vision and artistic commitment during her long service as Director. Myllyaho leaves the post he has held since 1998 as joint artistic director, together with Esa Leskinen, of the independent Helsinki-based theatre company Ryhmäteatteri. He has directed several plays for the Finnish National Theatre and headed the artistic team of the Tampere Theatre Festival from 2007 to 2009. Myllyaho is also the author of several successful plays which have been performed both in Finland and abroad.

Although Mika Myllyaho takes up his new position in August, the autumn 2010 season has been programmed under Maria-Liisa Nevalas direction and Myllyahos influence on programming will be seen in the spring 2011 season. New premičres for the autumn include two Main Stage productions, one a Finnish classic by Aleksis Kivi and the other a modern American work by Paul Auster. Kivis irreverent comic drama Beer Jaunt in Schleusingen is directed by Jukka Rantanen and opens in September. This is followed in October by Paul Austers novel of magic and levitation set in 1920s America, Mr Vertigo, adapted and directed by Kristian Smeds. On the Small Stage, Joe Ortons sharply sardonic portrait of middle class mores, Entertaining Mr Sloane, will be directed by Antti Einari Halonen and opens in December. Before that, Janne Reinikainen directs a new version of Dostoveskys most forgiving novel, The Idiot, to open in September. The Russian theme continues in the Willensauna Stage with two plays dealing with life in the Soviet period. Juha Malmivaara directs Black Sail White Sail, French feminist author Hélčne Cixous play about Anna Ahmatova set in the immediate post-Stalin years, opening in September. In December, Venedikt Erofeevs modern classic satire on the dangers of power Walpurgis Night will open directed by Riko Saatsi, a recent graduate from the Theatre Academy. The Omapohja Studio will see the premičres of two new works, one Finnish and one British, which deal with the young and old respectively. Tusk Tusk is a new play by young, up-and-coming British author Polly Stenham about three under-age siblings home alone. It will open in September directed by Minna Nurmelin. In November, Pirkko Jaakolas study of dementia, Dragonfly, will open directed by Päivi Akonpelto.

In addition to the regular programme, The Finnish National Theatre will also present, in collaboration with the Helsinki Festival, one guest performance of AnneTeresa de Keesmaeker and Jérôme Bels music and dance work 3Abscheid. The theatre has also collaborated with the Dodo Society and the company Wasted Planet to create a production with an ecological theme to open in October in the Willensauna Stage. The production, also entitled Wasted Planet will run at the Finnish National Theatre in October, after which it will tour in schools in order to raise awareness on environmental issues.

Many of the previous seasons plays will continue in the repertoire. These include new works by Finnish authors Paavo Westerberg and Heini Junkkaala. Westerbergs play, entitled The Lie, plays on the Willensauna Stage. Three men meet in a hotel room in Cannes to discuss how to pitch their new movie-script to a potentially interested Johnny Depp in this tense yet comic drama about ambition and the elusiveness of our dreams. Junkkaalas play Bride of Christ, in the Omapohja Studio, deals with the subject of tolerance. With this work, Junkaala contributes to the current debate on the role of the church in contemporary society, particularly examining the controversial issues of women priests and homosexuality. Alongside these two new works, a modern Finnish classic by one of Finlands most celebrated living authors, Veijo Meri, plays on the Small Stage. A gently comic, romantic drama, The Younger Brother is an astute study of life in the countryside in the face of inevitable change. Although it was written in the 1970s, Meris pithy, spare dialogue remains fresh and modern, and his subject matter is as topical as ever.

International works are also well-represented in the programme. Newly opened last spring on the Main Stage is Moličres Le Misanthrope, directed by Ĺsa Kalmér with set designed by Ĺsa Kalmér and Ann Bonander-Looft, who also created the costumes. The music is composed by Malin Dahlqvist. All three artists are from Sweden. On the Small Stage, Katariina Lahti directs Bertolt Brechts Leben des Galilei. Fassbinders modern classic Die bitteren Tränen der Petra von Kant, directed by Antti Einari Halonen plays on the Willensauna Stage, and in the Omapohja Studio, Juha Mäkelä has created Japanese author Chikamatsu Monzaemons powerful drama dating from 1720, The Love Suicides at Amijima. A modern American classic is also included in the Willensauna repertoire: Kurt Nuotio directs Eugene ONeills Long Days Journey into Night.