ABSTRACT
The lion’s share of the Finnish National Theatre’s new international programming came from the West. A significant number of plays were seen on the Finnish (or Nordic) stage at the Theatre for the first time, helping it fulfil its traditional mandate of promoting internationally important drama. Most of the new plays shown at the Theatre had already made names for themselves outside of Finland. They represented a wide variety of genres and topics but were united by a common theme: the exploration of the human condition. Overall, the National Theatre’s repertoire of new drama reflected Western dramatic conventions. Occasionally the plays’ themes touched on national idiosyncrasies that were only partly recognised in Finland. Even the most socially critical productions tended to not be overtly political. The plays that were chosen for Main Stage productions were ideologically sophisticated and largely plucked from the theatres of Continental Europe. In contrast, Anglo-American plays had very concentrated plots and themes, and they tended to be staged on the Theatre’s smaller stages. The reviewers especially commended on performances of abuses of power, as press and spectators shared interest in historic characters like Salieri and Stalin.
