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Published in 3 – 2024 - Stage
The Finnish Architectural Review has followed theatre construction since the early years of our publication, writes Kristo Vesikansa. Instead of the generic facilities provided by the black box, many of today’s theatre-makers are intrigued by staging performances in other existing spaces, which then become an integral element of the dramatic piece itself.
In the recent renovation of the Finnish National Theatre’s Small Stage there is no appreciable distinction between the materials of different ages or the temporal layers, but rather a theatre visit takes you back to the 1950s.
For decades, the theatre space has remained in the background in the mainstream cinematic experience. Different kinds of experiences are available at film festivals.
In the 1970s, architect Pentti Piha was involved in developing and bringing to Finland the so-called black box stage, which performing artists are nowadays critical of. Through this critique, we can reevaluate the legacy of modernist architecture even more broadly.
Pauli E. Blomstedt's design for a new Kansanteatteri theatre building at Helsinki’s Hakaniemi Market Square was never built. The exhibition at the Musum of Finnish Architecture brings the forgotten theatre plans out from the archives and draws parallels to the present.
