Marta Aliide Jakovski, What’s Up? 

 

Marta Aliide Jakovski: A lot is happening! I’m currently working at the Linnateater in Tallinn. We’re reopening the theatre after renovations with many productions. I’m directing about the Livonians, a Finno-Ugric people — of whom I’m one. There are only about 120 speakers of the Livonian language left, although it’s said that half of Latvia’s population might have some Livonian heritage. The newspapers keep proclaiming that “the last Livonian has died” — which is both tragic and, in a way, darkly humorous. 

 

Given that Estonia is a small country next to a warring Russia, there’s a lot of reflection right now on identity, roots, and nationality — and whether these things still matter. People are searching for connection, for grounding, to maintain their mental health in a time of upheaval. 

Estonia is a theatre country. Under the Soviet Union, theatre was a space where things could be said between the lines — a place where people came to hear the truth. Soviet Union leaders checked everything that was produced in order to ensure that nothing that was presented on the stage would undermine it. Therefore artists would try and trick them writing truths between the lines, while living under one big lie.  

 

We’re less overtly political now, but I still believe theatre has to be a place where you can speak for those who don’t have a voice, and where you can speak truth to power. During the pandemic, while Finnish theatres were closed, we looked for ways to keep ours open. When the war in Ukraine began in 2022, we staged several productions about the war. But now, I feel people are craving comfort. 

 

Theatre is in my roots — both of my parents worked in the performing arts. As a child, I saw a lot of theatre, opera, ballet — everything. I initially studied music, but I felt theatre offered more possibilities to create immersive, all-encompassing worlds. At one point, I considered becoming an actor — until an older director asked me why I wasn’t thinking about becoming a director. That question blew me away. I had never imagined myself in that role — in Estonia, most directors were men, serious uncle-types with beards — and I simply hadn’t pictured myself among them. But I applied, got in, and haven’t looked back. 

I directed The Fundamentalist for Von Krahl Theatre as part of my degree in 2021. My cousin, who’s an actor, suggested I read Juha Jokela’s plays, and once I read The Fundamentalist, I knew I had to direct it — even though I encountered some resistance from people who thought religion was not exactly a hot topic for the contemporary stage. Von Krahl is known for alternative theatre and rarely stages traditional plays, but I wanted to direct this one in a way where the actors always addressed the audience directly — being completely vulnerable in the process. Audiences sense that sincerity. For me, the play isn’t primarily about religion. It’s a side topic. The driving force is love. And despite Estonia being largely atheistic, the play has been sold out for years. 

 

One night a few years ago, Kristian Smeds came to see The Fundamentalist in Tallinn. I had seen his production of The Seagull 17 years ago, and it deeply shaped how I view what’s possible in theatre. Having him attend my performance was a huge moment for me. I told him I’d love to work with him if anything ever came up. A year later he called to say he was directing The Year of the Hare at the Finnish National Theatre — and would I like to be his assistant? I was happy for the opportunity. I cancelled other productions and said yes, because for me it’s important to collaborate and keep learning whenever the opportunity arises. 

It was fascinating to see how Smeds works with actors — how much he trusts them, how he works individually with each of them. He sees people as they are and offers suggestions tailored to help them open up or challenge themselves. I also admired how he worked with the entire team — building trust, involving everyone backstage. And I appreciated that he has big ideas and commits to them fully. At the same time, as a young director, it was important for me to see that even brilliant directors go through a moment of uncertainty in the process. Will everything come together as planned? That’s part of what we do — facing the unknown, and going through all the emotions that come with it. 

 

While I was at the National Theatre, I got to see many performances in Finland, which I really enjoyed. A lot of productions were based on familiar material, but I appreciated how dramaturgs and directors took creative liberties, building new worlds from the classics or producing their own original works. That’s also happening a lot in Poland — artists taking risks, expanding on the themes of the source material.  

 

I’ll have a month off this summer, but in the fall I’ll be directing an opera in Lithuania and traveling there for rehearsals. These are intense times, but I’m really looking forward to coming to Helsinki for the Helsinki Festival with The Fundamentalist. I’m excited to see how our interpretation resonates with Finnish audiences. 

 

 

 

 

 

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This interview is part of the TINFO's series Mitä kuuluu / What's Up. View all the articles.