PINNAN ALLA

Production Ahaa Teatteri

Original text Leena Paasio
Dramatization and directed by Elina Izarra
Set and video design Alina Davidow
Sound design Riku-Pekka Kellokoski
Lighting design Antti Kauppi
On stage Oskar Hartman, Reetta Hyreen, Roosa Lehtinen & Teemu Mäkinen
Photos Jari Kivelä
World premiereat Ahaa Theatre on February 5, 2024.

https://www.ahaateatteri.com/pinnan-alla

Pinnan alla is a play dramatized by Elina Izarra based on Leena Paasio’s young adult book pair ”Harmaja Northwest Seven” and ”Bengtskär East Eight.” The play takes the audience into the depths of the Baltic Sea, into the fascinating world of blue mussels and bladderwrack. At the same time, it depicts the joys, sorrows, and delights of people living close to the sea; friendship, infatuation, and supporting each other even in difficult situations.

Eetu has just started high school. His family’s life has been turned upside down: his marine biologist mother, who was researching the Baltic Sea, has disappeared during a swimming trip. Suddenly, life is a struggle with grief, family financial worries, and the challenges posed by friendships.

At school, Eetu and his friends are given an assignment on the Baltic Sea. Working on it opens up questions about environmental conservation for the group. At the same time, it pushes the friends’ relationships in new directions. Soon, Eetu begins to understand the reasons behind his mother’s disappearance, and secrets start to unravel.

”I found it hard to listen during that class. Everything the teacher said was already familiar to me. I remembered my mom’s focused expression as she put on her reading glasses and made charts from the samples she took from the Baltic Sea. I had gone to school to forget about my mom, to move on, and to prevent my own downward spiral. And here I was. At school, but still firmly trapped in my own mind.”

Recommended for ages 13 and up. Duration: 75 minutes. World premiere at Ahaa Theatre on February 5, 2024.