DOT·DOT DRAMA Showcase 2026

The Dot·Dot Drama Showcase 2026 was held in Helsinki from 15–18 April. TINFO, together with its partner theatres and collectives, presented examples of the Finnish contemporary theatre scene to international theatre professionals and journalists. The showcase offered a four-day programme encompassing performances, professional encounters, and a seminar delving into Nordic and Baltic theatre discourse.

The programme was diverse, ranging from intimate two-person encounters to large-scale stage productions, from performances drawing on archival material to physical theatre spectacles. Particular attention was drawn to Pipsa Lonka's long-awaited new work Peter Lived in a House – a dolphin from dot to dot (WAUHAUS & Espoo Teatteri) — which also lent the showcase its name — as well as the world premiere of Arni Rajamäki's play Let's Talk About Richard at Teatteri Takomo. The extraordinary Gymnastics Girls at the National Theatre gained an international audience, while WAUHAUS's The Companion and Nurture represented Finnish performance art with an established international touring record. Emil Santtu Uuttu's The Lovely Daughter Erika – Notes on a Name invited reflection on the ethics of queer history, while Elli Salo's Memorial Day and Hav-Anna Company's In Memory of Agasias, The Donkey each explored the fragility of democracy in their own distinct ways.

Alongside the programme, the showcase included the seminar Who Shapes the Story? Performing Arts in the Nordic-Baltic Region, organised in collaboration with the Nordic Culture Point at Suomenlinna on 17 April. The day's theme was the resilience of the performing arts during times of political and economic turbulence. Speakers included Karin Närep, Head of Strategic Planning and Crisis Preparedness at the Estonian Ministry of Culture; Emma Meyer-Dunér, Head Dramaturg at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm; Mehis Pihla, Head Dramaturg at the Estonian Drama Theatre; and Matīss Gricmanis, Head Dramaturg at Dailes Teātris in Latvia. The seminar was an invitation-only event for showcase participants and partners. Keynotes, panels, and case laboratories gave voice to dramaturgs, artistic directors, and cultural strategists from across the Nordic and Baltic regions. The atmosphere was constructive and candid — precisely what the times demand.

The performances were framed by social events: an opening night reception at Teatteri Takomo, a buffet dinner at Espoo Teatteri, a meet-and-greet with the Gymnastics Girls collective at the National Theatre, and a farewell dinner at the National Theatre's Lavaklubi. These moments were just as important to the showcase as the performances themselves: they sparked connections, facilitated conversations, and built lasting relationships.

The showcase welcomed 30 international guests from 14 countries in total. Represented were theatre professionals from across the spectrum: artistic directors, programme directors, festival curators, theatre critics, and representatives of cultural institutes. The Nordic and Baltic countries formed a natural core, but the group also included several guests from Central Europe.

The German scene was particularly well represented, with guests arriving from Berlin, Hamburg, Jena, and Wiesbaden, among other cities. The Baltic states — Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania — sent representatives from major national theatre and festival organisations. From Western Europe, representatives came from Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Vienna, and Scotland.

The diversity of guests — from large national institutions to independent festivals, critics, and cultural institutes — reflects well the kind of dialogue Dot·Dot Drama aims to foster: multifaceted, European, and genuinely curious about the Finnish contemporary theatre scene.

The showcase was supported, in addition to the partner theatres, by the City of Helsinki, the Eugène, Elisabeth och Birgit Nygrén Foundation, the Finnish Cultural Institutes in Estonia, Denmark, and Norway, the Goethe-Institut Finland, WAUHAUS, and Loitsut, the company behind the Subtitles Cloud service.

Read the full showcase programme.

TINFO 19.4.2026

Photo: Johan Huimerind's promotional photo from PETER LIVED IN A HOUSE - a dolphin from dot to dot.