A Kalevala Based Science Fiction Puppetry Show

Midwinter Dream is a story about human life corrupted by the grip of technology. Based on poems from the Finnish national epos, the Kalevala, this is a surreal fusion of Kalevala’s ancient mythical realm and our modern industrial world.

Ilmari Virtanen – the world’s best clock smith – has dedicated most of his life to the making of Sampo; a peculiar, magical machine that will end poverty by producing money out of almost nothing. But when one sacrifices all for the creation work, even love, can the outcome be good? The Sampo becomes conscious, swallows the sun and life is about to end. It is up to Ilmari to fix the mess he has started. But can a man stand against the machine he created?

Midwinter Dream was an artistic cooperation between Sixfingers Theatre and Teatteri Sudenenne. The production was made together with the City Theatre of Turku, which hosted the show in 2007.

Direction: Lars Wingård

Script: Ishmael Falke

Puppets: Iisa Tähtinen

Stage desing: Johanna Latvala

Music: Roosa Halme

Light design: Pete Suominen

Performers: Ishmael Falke, Elina Putkinen, Maiju Tainio

From the press:

“Script writer Ishmael Falke has successfully picked few of the national epos’s characters and plot lines, and arranged them for the purpose of his puppet show.”

“The beautiful and dreary puppets made by Iisa Ilona Tähtinen fit well within Johanna Latvala’s design of scenery, which reminds of technology’s dirty backyard. A clean, innocent swamp and a humanity eating metallic city are palced side by side on the stage. As if Blade Runner would encounter Suomi-Filmi.”