Consept and choreography Panu Varstala
Dance, choreography, texts Anniina Kumpuniemi
Dramaturge Tanjalotta Räikkä
Lighting design Elina Nopanen
Sound design Henri Puolitaival
Video design Heikki Järvinen
Self portrait Anniina Kumpuniemi
Performance photos Heikki Järvinen
On Tour
Performaces at KokoTheatre in Helsinki spring 2023:
Fri 17.2. at 7 pm
Sat 18.2. at 2 pm & 7 pm
Panu Varstala
(MA in dance, MA in education, TRE & Kiskoteka trainer, musician, blended-family parent)
Panu’s work extends across many disciplines of art and has included collaborators from all over Finland, from professionals to amateurs, from school kids to senior citizens. He has choreographed for the likes of The Finnish National Theatre, The Lahti City Theatre and The Rovaniemi Theatre, and performed for acclaimed creators such as Sanna Kekäläinen. For the past few years Panu has dedicated himself to improving the well-being of children and young adults. He developed an arts tutor program for schools in the Porvoo area, where an arts tutor can be assigned to co-teach or hold an artist’s ofce or provide additional education to the school staff. Panu’s motto is ”A gentle gaze, continuous learning and a curiosity about life.”
Tanjalotta Räikkä is an ctress, significant other, mother of three.
With an acting career spanning four decades, Tanjalotta has been working as a freelancer for the past 30 years. She’s a founding member of the Telakka collective which has been running a culture house and theatre in downtown Tampere since 1996. Tanjalotta performs regularly in Telakka Theatre’s productions.
Tanjalotta got her professional start at the city theatres of Kajaani, Kokkola and Seinäjoki, and as a freelancer she continues to work with various city theatres and numerous independent theatre companies across Finland and in Berlin. Her track record extends to films, television and radio and singing backup for renowned artists such as the late Gösta Sundqvist and his group Leevi and the Leavings.
In recent years Tanjalotta has been working increasingly as a director, writer and dramatist. 2022 marks her fourth year as the artistic co-director of Tampere Theatre Festival.
Working with theatre students is very near and dear to Tanjalotta’s heart, as she finds the connection with next-generation talents exciting and refreshing. Learning to connect with people also lies at the heart of Tanjalotta’s work as a hospital clown, which she has been doing for 14 years now.
IN CO-OPERATION