I’VE TRIED TO DECIDE FOR WEEKS YEARS AN ENTIRE LIFE
WHAT TO SAY ABOUT THIS SUBJECT
AND HOW TO SAY IT IN A CIVILISED WAY
Beginning Middle End is an anarchistic speech performance where an actor performs a play while seeing the text for the first time.
The performance draws inspiration from frustrations concerning theatre traditions and the lifeforms of straight people. It’s a proposal for another kind of theatre where incompleteness can be visible and careless thoughts can jump from one to another.
The artistic starting point was to investigate what it’s like to write without self-criticism or self-censorship, and how to bring such a text to the audience. The end result combines closet drama, spoken word, DIY aesthetics, a PowerPoint show, and a piano concerto.
Each act has a different performer: at Hangö Teaterträff, they are Kristofer Möller and Josefine Fri.
Content warnings:
The text includes strong language and talk of sex and transitioning.
Arni Rajamäki is a dramatist and performance creator. Beginning Middle End was originally their artistic diploma work at Uniart Helsinki’s Theatre Academy (2021).
Elle Kokkonen is a sound designer and musician from Sápmi who works in Rovaniemi.
Tarmo Rajamäki is a pianist who received their Master’s degree in 2021 from the Sibelius Academy’s department of classical music.
Jenni Räsänen is a costume designer and scenographer whose most recent work has highlighted marginalised issues and addressed the aesthetic produced by ecological values.
Tarleena Laakko is a dramatist and performance creator.
Jaakko Pallasvuo is a Helsinki-based author and artist.
Kasimir Koski studies dramaturgy at UniArt Helsinki’s Theatre Academy.
Kristofer Möller is an actor and dramaturge who has worked, among others, at Viirus, Sirius Teatern, Lilla Teatern, Wasa Teater, Klockriketeatern and Stjärnfall. Kristofer has worked as an actor at Svenska Teatern since 2003 and as a dramaturge since 2018.
Josefine Fri is a Helsinki based actress and the founder of art collective Glitcher. Glitcher examines horror, sexuality and violence in their shows that they create. They exploit genres and always try to push the limits of performativity and explore how different pop cultural narratives shapes us as humans.
Text and director: Arni Rajamäki
Performers: Josefine Fri, Kristofer Möller
Sound and light design: Elle Kokkonen
Pianist: Tarmo Rajamäki
Surtitler: Alvi Haapamäki
Translator: Kasimir Koski
Visual designer: Jenni Räsänen
Dramaturge: Tarleena Laakko
Consultant: Jaakko Pallasvuo
The translation was supported by TINFO Grant.