Review: BabySauna

Theatre for babies

A woman dressed in a sauna robe moves barefoot on the stage. He collects stones, lifts and lowers them, clicks his tongue. Next, he claps the buckets and pours water from one bucket to another.

“Mom, nothing is happening here!” commented the boy behind me. The truth comes from the mouths of children.

But the children for whom the performance is mainly aimed at are not yet able to say anything. In fact, they sit quietly. 0–1-year-olds. I didn’t even know that a pack of children of that age could be silent for so long – half an hour.

We are watching BabySauna, a baby theater. It’s the premiere, or the first day. Among the audience are Krista Kosonen, Laura Birn, Anna-Maija Tuokko and some people whose faces are familiar but whose names I can’t remember. They are not in premiere costumes, but without makeup, their hair quickly tied up in a ponytail and the babies in their arms.

Everyone in the audience has left their shoes in the lobby and put on their bathing slippers. There is a relaxed atmosphere in the audience.

But let’s get back to the performance, the Helsinki City Theatre’s studio Pasila. The woman on stage, Riikka Siirala (also responsible for the concept and choreography), splashes water on herself and slaps herself with a whisk. Soon the performance will be over.

Babies get to know the sets, buckets, stones and whisk more closely. Behind the stands, apple juice and Pommac will be served. Adults feed their children purées and change diapers.

Soon the cultured babies will be stared into the pram and put to sleep. Adults feel a little confused. “Did we just watch the sauna on stage for half an hour?! “While babies watched theatre – and clearly enjoyed it – we adults looked at the mental landscape of babies: this is how simple, everyday things make up babies’ entertainment.

Loiske Ensemble: BabySauna

Concept and direction: Antti Larmola