Residency artists and researchers Babygonia Workgroup: Anna Ivanova, Jenni Rutanen, Roosa Halme, Anna Nekrassova, Mantas Stabačinskas, Antton Kainulainen and Jussi Virkkumaa Photo: Jussi Virkkumaa We come from different cities and backgrounds, we are all different ages and we all have our own interests. Puppet theatre brings us together, providing a common language and communication channel. We are interested in discovering how our differences merge together during our processes. We explore objects and puppets as a unique tool for communication between an actor and the audience. Our partnership has resulted in both a large puppet theatre opera with a choir and orchestra (The Croak, 2018, Pori, Finland) and now a smaller scale baby theatre production (Babygonia, 2024). The influences we draw from are the puppet theatre programme of the Turku Arts Academy, the Aura of Puppets network and the current puppet theatre scene in Turku. Babygonia: Anna Ivanova, Jenni Rutanen, Roosa Halme, Anna Nekrassova, Mantas Stabačinskas, Antton Kainulainen and Jussi Virkkumaa BABYGONIA Babygonia is a performance that welcomes babies (aged from 8 months to 2.5 years) to the theatre, accompanied with adults. Babies and toddlers arrive at the show like royalty, sitting in prams or pushchairs, escorted by their entourage. Instead of dividing the theatre into the auditorium and stage, we ensure that our visitors dive deep into the world of the performance. They can walk with or against the flow of the performance, watch the space transform, participate, feel things with their hands, or simply observe and listen to the sounds around them. Baby and toddler visitors are like little Buddhas: they don’t know what adults know, yet they remember what adults have forgotten. They have an astounding curiosity about everything they see. They question and investigate every little thing they discover and enjoy the process of exploration and sharing the experience. The micro and macro universes created in the performance are made up of objects of different colours and sizes that all feel different to the touch. With the help of a live musician, the performers create a host of associative images, compositions, moods and experiences for babies and toddlers to enjoy. Every Babygonia show is unique.