10.–11.11.2023 Turku I

A puppetry solo by Dirty Duckling, specifically Merja Pöyhönen is a skillfully woven one-woman-mess with ugly puppets in the labyrinths of identities.

It’s not easy to be a Finn. The one without a decent history or self-esteem who looks like a potato. The one who can’t open their mouth and is better with moose than with people. I would change all my great genetic nature-relationships for even a little bit of Mediterranean cultural heritage and social skills. And I would sacrifice all that is or has ever been mine, if somebody like that, not like me, loved me back.

Ariadne – A Mess is a multi-emotional tragicomedy and a one woman puppetry show made out of identity questions,  ugly woven puppets with very big eyes and hearts and the antique myth of Ariadne (you know, the one with the ball of yarn, and the labyrinth, and the Minotaur…). The surrealistic text weaves together the stories from Minoan culture to Finnish quasi folklore and as a result we end up in the  labyrinth of roots and loves and most embarrassing holiday memories. This show is also its creator Merja Pöyhönens’ personal quest to learn ventriloquism and speak with as many voices as possible. This long-awaited  premiere is about the thirtieth attempt of the trailblazer new-wave puppetry collective Kuuma Ankanpoikanen (Dirty Duckling) to make a perfect show in the magnificent field of puppetry art.

This one-woman masterpiece is about the thirtieth attempt of the trailblazer new-wave puppetry collective Kuuma Ankanpoikanen (Dirty Duckling) to make a perfect show in the magnificent field of puppetry art.

PERFORMANCES

Fri 10.11. at 19:00 Sat 11.11. at 15:00 Turku City Theatre Sopukka Tickets  15€ / 25 € Lippu.fi or from Turku City Theatre: Lippis

Age recommendation: 14 + Duration: 1h 10 min, no intermission Language: English

WORKING GROUP Concept, script, performing: Merja Pöyhönen Puppets: Merja Pöyhönen, Eve Mäkitalo, Hanne Lammi, Helena Markku Light design: Essi Santala Music: Antti-Juhani Manninen Sound dramaturgy: Antti-Juhani Manninen, Merja Pöyhönen Assistant of everything: Eve Mäkitalo

Produced by: Kuuma Ankanpoikanen

“Everything is possible when one really knows their instrument. And Dirty Duckling know.”

-Helsingin Sanomat 8/2023

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