Parvela-Erjossaari: SEESAW

In every child lives a small lonely bear. One end of the seesaw is empty. On the other end sits Pii, waiting for a playmate, in vain. Pii writes in their notebook: “You can’t play on the seesaw if no one is sitting on the other end.” When a large fir tree crashes onto the seesaw, little bear Pii is catapulted into space, and the adventure begins!

Hanging onto the moon’s crescent, Pii hears that the moon and the sun always swing together. During the adventure, Pii encounters various creatures and realizes that life, too, goes up and down. There are unpleasant things and there are nice things. Sometimes it feels safe, and sometimes it feels scary.

The world of the seesaw and its characters allows for a visual fireworks display, with all rockets sparkling in vibrant colors. The story by author Timo Parvela is released from the confines of the pages and exploded into an adventure. Theatre is more, not less. Timo Parvela’s Seesaw was awarded the Finlandia Junior Prize in 2006.

Performances at the Fortress of Good Conscience (Suomenlinna) in the summer of 2015

Dramatized from Timo Parvela’s book by Nina Erjossaari
Directed by Jonna Wikström
Set Design: Janne Siltavuori (from the production Lies and Temptations)
Costume Design: Paula Koivunen
Sound Design and Music Arrangement: Markus Bonsdorff
Singing: Rebekka Holi and Nina Erjossaari
Lighting Design: Luca Sirviö
Choreography: Soile Ojala
Assistant Director: Tytti Junna
Photography: Antti Hintsa
Graphic Designer: Ville Salmisalo