2024 THE BACCHAE (original text from Euripides)
/// Q-Theater Collaboration with Theater Academy Helsinki
Set design and costumes for theater play.
Hidden from society on the outskirts of town, a group of women live by their own rules. They are Bacchantes, members of an enigmatic cult with ancient roots in the mysteries of Dionysus. The women crave freedom, but are tormented by constant hunger. When the alienated city dweller Adrienne joins their ranks, she brings with her questions and conflicts that threaten the community’s fragile balance. Dreams, myths and reality become intertwined as the women prepare to confront the mythical Mylvijä — a creature that could either liberate them or destroy them.
The Bacchae is a raw, symbolic and intense exploration of freedom, desire and fear. It combines archaic rituals with contemporary questions of power, gender and the tension between the individual and the community. The staging alternates between a dreamlike quality and harsh realism, drawing the audience deep into the world of the Bacchae.
Working group:
Director: Ruusa Tapper (artistic thesis, TeM)
Text: Ruusa Tapper and Kasimir Koski
Dramaturgy: Kasimir Koski
Set and costume design: Anna Pietilä
Lighting design: Elli Maria Kujansuu
Sound design: Io Pettersson
Performers: Tellervo Jalas (artistic thesis, TeM), Aino Sihvonen (artistic thesis, TeM), Meri Luukkanen, Selina Ukkonen, Anna Airola (Q-teatteri)
Anna Pietilä 