07.08.2026

Pauli Patinen's Steal This Performance to be Presented at Maillon in Strasbourg

 

Finnish dramaturg and performance-maker Pauli Patinen brings Steal This Performance to Maillon, Théâtre de Strasbourg this autumn, introducing French audiences to a work that playfully examines originality, authorship and artistic influence.

Originally produced at the Theatre Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki (Uniarts Helsinki) as a master's thesis production, Steal This Performance has already attracted international attention. In 2025, it won the Jury Prize at the Fast Forward – European Festival for Young Stage Directors in Dresden, where the international jury praised its inventive engagement with theatre history and its challenge to conventional ideas of originality.

Part lecture, part performance, Steal This Performance starts from a simple premise: no artwork is created in isolation. Instead of celebrating the myth of the original genius, Patinen traces how performances are shaped through borrowing, adaptation and shared theatrical traditions. The result is a witty and thought-provoking reflection on how ideas circulate between artists, productions and generations.

The Strasbourg presentation comes at a time when questions of ownership and creativity are attracting renewed attention in the arts, not least because of artificial intelligence and changing attitudes towards copyright. Rather than offering definitive answers, Patinen invites audiences to consider theatre's long history of reusing, transforming and reinventing existing material.

Patinen has described curiosity as a driving force in his artistic practice. Travelling, seeing performances and meeting artists across Europe have reinforced his understanding of theatre as an international conversation rather than a collection of isolated works. Those experiences form the backbone of Steal This Performance, which combines personal observations with broader reflections on theatre history and contemporary culture.

Known for its international programme of contemporary theatre and performance, Maillon provides a fitting context for the work. The presentation continues the visibility of Finnish performing arts on European stages while highlighting a production that has already received significant recognition on the European festival circuit.

Steal This Performance will be presented at Maillon, Théâtre de Strasbourg, as part of the venue's 2026–2027 programme.

 

TINFO 7 August 2026

Kuva: Jere J. Aalto