Milja Sarkola’s play follows one woman’s life from childhood to adulthood, limiting the perspective to feeling like an outsider, sensations of loneliness and shame, and the difficulty of communication.
Throughout the play, the main character strives to figure out who she is and observe herself; to evaluate, to appraise. Even as a child, she ponders her nature through observing the natures of others as well.
How should a person speak and act in order to be understood? How should she cope with social situations? How can she express herself without hurting others, and how can she protect herself from being hurt?
Uncertainty about one’s self and others is something everyone can identify with in one way or another.
ANNIKA
But how can you think talking is hard.
GIRL
I dunno, it just is.
ANNIKA
You’re the only person I know who thinks talking is hard.
GIRL
For me it is. I just can’t open my mouth.
ANNIKA
How can it be hard? Is it because of your mouth muscles or something? Is that what’s hard about it –using your mouth?
GIRL
Mmmm. I get tired. It’s not like I don’t have thoughts; I just don’t want to say them out loud.
Translation by Tuomas Lietepohja
