QUO VADIS

Formed in 1985, Quo Vadis theatre group has earned fame for its original, professional and steadfastly distinctive productions. Quo Vadis was judged to be the leading Finnish cultural export of 2009.

The group tours Finland and the wider world with its very own performing arena, a modern yurt designed and built by poet-carpenter Markku Hoikkala. This synthesis of Asian tradition and Finnish woodworking skill is a piece of art in its own right. As a theatre space, it is focused and does away with the standard spatial divisions of established theatrical traditions.

Quo Vadis’ yurt arrived at the Saari Residence straight from a tour that took in Rostock and Moscow. From the Saari Residence the journey continues on to Madrid, via the Helsinki Festival and Espoo.

The portable and spartan structure of the yurt leaves the group free to concentrate on the content of their productions.

At the Saari Residence, Quo Vadis erected its yurt in a machinery hall. The setting fulfilled the group’s requirements perfectly, as it was roomy enough to accommodate the Quo Vadis Band’s rehearsal area and the tribe’s communal living room as well.

While at the Saari Residence Quo Vadis worked on their programme for the upcoming Helsinki Festival:

–Their dance piece Hamlet was refined further, based on the experiences gained in staging it in Rostock.

-Poetics, a piece combining words, music, movement and flesh, was created in its entirety.

-The finishing touches were put to a Swedish-language version of a piece originally titled Pelastetaan Äiti (Save Mother), and the group also rehearsed English and Russian versions of the piece.

The group also did maintenance work on the yurt and planned for the future:

-Preliminary work was started on a play for under-2 year-olds.

-A horse felt craftwork course was organized under the instruction of felt artist Tuula Nikulainen, during which two large horsehair felts were produced for the ceiling of the yurt.

-A recording studio was set up in the yurt and recordings were made of the poetry music rehearsed over the course of the summer.

-Repairs were done to the canvas of the yurt, which was damaged in Moscow.

-Quo Vadis became acquainted with fellow Saari residents the Visual Poetry group, and together the two groups held a poetry evening in Turku. The Quo Vadis Poetry Band presented a half-hour set of its new material.

-Outtakes of Quo Vadis’ production were presented to the Vispo poetry group.