ABSTRACT
The Theatre’s policy had always consisted of putting on both classic and contemporary drama by domestic and international playwrights. This cultural mandate is evident in the Theatre’s artistic programme throughout its history, and it did not actually specify genre or geography. The programming choices made by the Theatre were in dialogue with wider theatrical traditions and methodologies and the changes happening in theatre and wider society at the time. A “national” theatre programme was also open to influences that transcended national borders. This was evidenced by both the geographic diversity of the plays selected for production and the international connections of the Finnish plays themselves. These strategies are discussed under three headings: “Chasing diversity and artistic merit”, “Debates about the development of domestic Finnish drama” and “Crossing the border between high and low art”.
