Anatomy of a Suicide
Three women, three time zones. One shared tragedy.
A mother, a daughter, a granddaughter. A housewife, an addict, a doctor. The inescapable tragedies of three women are transmitted through generations. Yet the women’s will to rewrite destiny is never extinguished.
Award-winning playwright and scriptwriter Alice Birch’s Anatomy of a Suicide is a highly original play echoing the trauma of suicide across generations and through time. Performed to universal acclaim across the globe, the play receives its Finnish premiere on stage at &&.
The lives of three women in three different eras – Carol’s in the 1970’s, Anna’s in the 2000’s, and Bonnie’s in the 2030’s – pierce through one another throughout the play. The simultaneously unravelling and interlaced stories offer commentary on each another using sharp humour, beautiful language, and arresting suspense.
Directors Sanna Silvennoinen and Davide Giovanzana’s interpretation creates a poetic world that brings this distinctive play to life through music, theatre puppetry, and physical theatre. The dreamlike visions enthral and leave a long-lasting trace.
“After reading this play, I was shocked, dazed, and stunned. I felt that this story is critical; it explores the question of inheriting trauma. A question haunts this text: what do you pass on to your children and their offspring?” explains Davide Giovanzana. “The core of this story is not written as a conventional story, so it could not have been displayed through traditional means. When I met Sanna and we spoke about our artistic interests, I immediately understood that this unique play could only be done with her. The approach we decided to follow intertwines naturalistic behavior, puppetry, fantastic events, dancing, singing, and eventually circus taking the audience on a mesmerizing and poetic journey on what does it mean to be alive.”
Directors |
Davide Giovanzana, Sanna Silvennoinen |
|---|---|
Translation |
Reita Lounatvuori |
Adaptation of the translation |
Mimmi Ahonen, Sara Koiranen |
Assistant |
Sara Koiranen |
Light design |
Juho Rahijärvi |
Set and costumes |
Mirkka Nyrhinen |
Sound design |
Viljami Lehtonen |
Composer |
Maija Ruuskanen |
Puppet maker |
Elina Sarno |
Actors |
Samuli Nordberg, Eero Ojala, Pauliina Palo, Riina Tikkanen, Terhi Suorlahti, Roosa Söderholm, Senna Vodzogbe |
Producer |
Luc Gérardin |
Production |
Teatteri Metamorfoosi |
Co-production |
Circo Aereo ja & Espoon teatteri |
Supporters |
Wihuri Foundation and Uudet klassikot |
Residency |
TTT-Theatre |
Premiere: Thursday February 1st, 2024
more info: espoonteatteri.fi/en/programme/anatomy-of-a-suicide/
review by Maria Säkö
pictures by DARINA RODIONOVA