Theater Are the premieres of the Theater Academy a peek into the theater of the future? Harry Potter inspiration and sex robots on display

Five young people the female supposedly screams on the stage of the University of the Arts Helsinki’s theater studio stage. She happily takes off her clothes, touches and fools around. The audience encounters five performers enjoying their naked bodies, sees movements, each of which seems to produce pleasure for their performer, such as spontaneous dancing. Viewers can choose their favorite music from their phone to accompany this movement.

The studio space is lined with sheets of paper that read questions that rake into the principles of a secure and democratic space. Such as: How is responsibility divided?

These questions have served as the starting point for the performance, but contrary to what one might think, the work itself is not dogmatic or moralizing at all. A space lined with questions, with beautiful clothes on the sledges, a tiny tub and a DJ table invite you to a relaxed atmosphere.

Namely, it is extremely liberating that when the beautiful garment found in the sleds does not quite fit at the breasts, it is not a problem and nothing. Gives your body a look and feel!

This is presentation Pleasure Ridewho is graduating as a director Kaisa to Rajahalmi Final assignment. The performance truly reaches all shades of pleasure, but also defines our relationship to pleasure in a new way. These guys are free from shame, but not irresponsible. Pleasure Ride received its premiere on February 1 at the Theater Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki.

Teak is one of the largest theaters in Finland in terms of the number of its annual premieres.

From the performances open to everyone, one can imagine what the future looks like in theater. It got its premiere last week Pleasure Riden in addition, four other hour-long performances designated “material-driven”.

As for material orientation mean? In most everyday language, we ask: What does the work say? Or: What is its subject?

However, those are not always the most important issues. The thinking behind the presentation may be built on something other than the subject.

In the case of the Theater Academy’s material-based works, it is worth asking: What is the material of the performance?

The thematic work focuses on a phenomenon or issue and its best possible treatment. The material starting point, on the other hand, tends to follow the logic contained in the material itself.

Why is such an approach really needed?

I set out to find out by watching all five performances.

For pleasure concentrated Pleasure Riden in addition, the performances looked at the moon orbiting our planet, the sexual desire in a world bursting with virtual porn, the ocean, and the tools needed to overcome the climate crisis.

To the moonlight is an instructor student Miika Karvanen a work written and directed by a work that brought to the stage nothing more and nothing less than a human relation to the moon.

A humorous work moving at different time levels carried Uuno to Kailaan, Edith Södergranin and HP Lovecraftin inspired by the scene of man’s desperate, affectionate and horror-romantic ways of defining the universe. Historical awareness was seen as strong but not shackled.

Maija Alanderin written by and Ismael Peuran controlled by Downloading Eden in turn, looked at the creation story from a new perspective.

In the show, virtual porn has not remained under human control, but in the dystopia of the future, sex has begun to be regulated and people have to buy licenses for sex robots. Spontaneous sex is punished. On the one hand, robots are starting to remind people so much that they have taken power.

Scifi requires actors to surrender to playing with robots. Comedy wings through cartoonishly striking and understated scenes.

95% ploop is Michelle Orenius directed by a work that takes place on the seabed. Diving into the ocean involves encountering various creatures and plastics floating in the sea. The installation, made of plastic rubbish, resembles children’s theater in a good way, the work, which has a intoxicating world of sound, contains ripple monologues about the relationship with nature.

Need room is Eeva Rajakangas directed by a performance that has got its idea In Harry Potter from the Needs Room that occurs. It is a room that can be conjured up and it is decorated just the way the magicians want it.

To the need room efforts have been made to bring about the things that man needs in order to tackle climate change. Does it mean objects or something like love and ideas?

Magic is perhaps a pretty good answer when considering how art can help in a climate crisis. However, the director announces in the program that he will move to the ranks of Elokapina full-time after this work. The meaningfulness of making art in the current world is a burning issue.

My first reaction after the performances, it was strongly that I had been offered, above all, whole, immersive worlds and different ways of being inside them together with others.. Arts other than theater cannot offer this.

During the eco-crisis and the polarizations that are ripping our society in many ways, focusing on material feels especially important. That’s when there’s an attempt to perceive the world differently, in a multipolar way, creating new connections. At the same time, such an approach recognizes the facts, for example, with regard to the consumption of natural resources.

After these works, I think that by sensitizing to materials, we may perceive the world even more honestly, free of ready-made dogmas.

All performances on the studio stages of the Theater Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki. The authors are students of Teak and AALTO Arts unless otherwise stated. Performances 16.2. until.

Pleasure Ride. Premiere 1.2. Kaisa Rajahalme (Master’s student in performing arts), Veera Kopsala (Academy of Fine Arts) Milla Kuikka (Master’s student in acting) Menni Renvall (visitor), Anna Suhonen (visitor).

95% ploop. Directed by Michelle Orenius, lights by Pinja Kokkonen, voices by Janna Hyrynkangas, staged by Tiina Pietiläinen, costumes by Ella Snellman. The performers are Anna Arola, Aarne Lehtimäki, Evita Pekkala and Vilma Tarkiainen, students of the second line of acting at Laajasalo College.

To the moonlight. Directed and written by Miika Karvanen. Playwright Juti Sari, production Hanna Erämaja, lights and video Katinka Ebbe, sounds and songs Miia Junes, costumes and camouflage Tuuni Jacobs. The performers are Ada Heikkilä, Rosa Honkonen, Iina Nyländen, Krista Raitalahti and Soile Vesala, students of the second line of acting at Laajasalo College.

Downloading Eden. Text Maija Alander, Ismael Deer and working group, direction Deer, lights Erno Seppälä, voices Henri Nikkilä, staging Toini Nissinen, costumes Iida Kilpeläinen. The performers are Susanna Heinonen, Siiri Lamminsivu, Julius Kalliokoski, Olga Kastemaa and Jael Assulin, students of the second line of acting at Laajasalo College.

Need room. Directed by Eeva Rajakangas, text working group, dramaturgy Senja Rajalin, lights by Saana Ott, voices by Ilja Pippa, staging by Tua Holappa, costumes by Satu Muurinen. The performers are Miika Aitto-oja, Samuli Helle, Otto Mäkelä, Tii Taxell and Toivo Tuppurainen from the second line of acting at Laajasalo College.