New article by actor and researcher Riikka Papunen
This article, commissioned by DuvTeatern, originates from the Helsinki City Theatre's production of the grand musical As it is in Heaven (2021–2022) and illuminates burning current questions about the representation of functional diversity on the theatre stage.
The article has been published in Finnish and Swedish. Read the article here: “Man kan inte kunna allt genast” / “Kaikkea ei pidä osata heti” (you will go to duvteatern.fi)
In 2021, the Helsinki City Theater chose two actors for the role of Tore in the big musical As it is in Heaven, a character whose developmental disability is written into the script. One of the actors chosen had a developmental disability himself, the other did not. The decision to choose these two actors was significant and very unusual for a Finnish institutional theater, and also internationally.
Riikka Papunen's article is based on interviews with actors and directors from the Helsinki City Theatre's production, as well as on Papunen's own observations and reflections on the importance of recruiting an actor with intellectual disability for a major musical. The article is written with future productions in mind and aims to highlight concrete approaches that others can follow or should possibly avoid.
DuvTeatern is a professional independent theatre with actors with and without developmental disabilities, operating in Helsinki since 1999.
Read more: www.duvteatern.fi
Contact
Sanna Huldén, DuvTeatern, sanna.hulden@duvteatern.fi, tel. 0400956792
Riikka Papunen, riikka.papunen@gmail.com, tel.: 0504922910
