Trial & Theatre

Nano Steps

A stage for contemporary performance

Studio Pasila – Ratamestarinkatu 5
Premiere 8.8.2023
Approx. 50 min, no interval
17,50 €

Note: No longer in repertoire!

Performance times:

Tue 8.8. premiere at 18.30, Studio Pasila
Thu 10.8. at 18.30, Studio Pasila
Fri 11.8. at 18.30, Studio Pasila
Sat 12.8. at 15 and 18.30, Studio Pasila
Mon 14.8. at 18.30, Studio Pasila

Note: The performance features flashing lights.
Discussion: physicists from Cornell University and puppetry artists

A discussion will be held after the performance on Monday 14.8. The discussion will feature director Aati Hanikka, dramaturg Iiris Syrjä, sound designer and musician Valtteri Alanen, and physicists Anna Barth and Kemper Ludlow from Cornell University. The discussion will be moderated by Suvi Tuominen, curator of the Stage for Contemporary Performance. The discussion will be held in English.

Performance times:

Tue Aug 8th Premiere at 6.30 pm at Studio Pasila
Thu Aug 10th at 6.30 pm at Studio Pasila
Fri Aug 11th at 6.30 pm at Studio Pasila
Sat Aug 12th at 3 pm and 6.30 pm at Studio Pasila
Mon Aug 14th at 6.30 pm at Studio Pasila

Note: The performance has flickering lights.
Duration: approx. 1h
Post-performance discussion with physicists Mon 14th of Aug

Director Aati Hanikka, dramaturg Iiris Syrjä, sound designer-musician Valtteri Alanen and physicists Anna Barth and Kemper Ludlow from Cornell University will be on stage discussing about the performance. The moderator is Suvi Tuominen, the curator of the Stage for Contemporary Performance. The discussion will be held in English.

(Scroll down for English.)

Nano Steps is a performance about a strange relationship that transcends scales and the limits of perception. It explores what happens when a physicist encounters particles invisible to the human eye in the illuminated field of a microscope. A group of puppetry artists harnesses the methods of applied physics for the Studio Pasila stage, transporting audiences to a basement laboratory where research is unpredictable.

Nano Steps began with a question: what could be the world’s smallest puppet? The Trial & Theatre group embarked on a meandering and unpredictable research process, calling world-renowned professors and travelling to Cornell University, the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences and the laboratories of Aalto University. This non-verbal performance at Studio Pasila brings science into collision with object theatre and introduces a puppetry technique learned directly from physicists to the stage for the first time: the manipulation of microscopic particles. The work is not science fiction, but a performance about the fiction of science.

Nano Steps is the first work by the Trial & Theatre working group, formed by the trio Alanen-Hanikka-Syrjä. Suontausta and Yu are guest artists in the work. The work was created through a group- and material-led devising process: thinking, experimenting and making decisions together. The group’s artistic practice strives for a free and unruly research process in which science and puppetry join forces, blurring each other’s boundaries.

Director: Aati Hanikka
Dramaturg: Iiris Syrjä
Sound designer and musician: Valtteri Alanen
Performer (devising): En Ping Yu
Lighting designer (devising): Jere Suontausta

Nano Steps was created in collaboration with Helsinki City Theatre, Aalto University, Itai Cohen Lab (Cornell University), Aura of Puppets, Studio Alta and the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences.

The work was supported by Arts Promotion Centre Finland, the Finnish Cultural Foundation, Helsinki City Theatre, Aura of Puppets, Nordisk Kulturfond and Samuel Huberin taidesäätiö.

Thanks to Aurinkobaletti, Metropolitan puppets and Grus Grus Teatteri.

The Stage for Contemporary Performance pilot project, presented at Studio Pasila in 2022 and 2023, brings various forms of contemporary performance into Helsinki City Theatre’s programme. In 2023, the Stage for Contemporary Performance programme comprises three world premieres and two guest performances. The pilot project is supported by Kone Foundation.

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Trial & Theatre: Nano Steps

Nano Steps is a performance that portrays an uncanny relationship across scales and boundaries. The performance inquires what happens when a physicist encounters invisible particles in the spotlight of a microscope. A group of puppeteers harness the methods of applied physics on the stage of Studio Pasila. The performance takes the spectators into a basement laboratory where research is unpredictable.

Nano Steps started with a question of what the world’s smallest puppet could be. Trial & Theatre group indulged into a meandering and unpredictable research process, during which they called world-famous professors, travelled to Cornell University, to Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, and to laboratories of Aalto University. The non-verbal performance to be seen at Studio Pasila interweaves science with object theatre and brings for the first time a manipulation technique learned directly from physicists to stage: the technique of manipulating/treating/handling micro-sized particles. The performance is not science fiction, but rather a fiction of science.

Nano Steps is the first premiere by Trial & Theatre – group formed by trio Alanen-Hanikka-Syrjä. Suontausta and Yu are visiting artists. The performance has been realised in a group and material-oriented way (devising): thinking, experimenting and deciding together. The objectives of the group is to reach out for free and unruly research processes where science and puppetry collaborate while blurring each other’s boundaries.

Director: Aati Hanikka
Dramaturg: Iiris Syrjä
Sound designer-musician: Valtteri Alanen
Performer (devising): En Ping Yu
Light designer (devising): Jere Suontausta

Nano Steps is made in collaboration with Helsinki City Theatre, Aalto University (Espoo), Itai Cohen Lab (Cornell University, Ithaca), Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences (Prague), Studio Alta (Prague) and Aura of Puppets (Turku).

The performance is supported by Arts Promotion Centre Finland, The Finnish Cultural Foundation, Helsinki City Theatre, Nordisk Kulturfond, Aura of Puppets and The Samuel Huber’s Art Foundation.

Thank you Metropolitan Puppets (Helsinki), AB Dance Company and Grus Grus Theatre.

Stage for Contemporary Performance is a pilot project implemented in Studio Pasila during 2022 and 2023. The objective of the project is to include different forms of contemporary performance in the Helsinki City Theatre’s seasonal programme. In 2023, the activities of the Stage for Contemporary Performance are divided into three premieres and two guest performances. The pilot project is supported by the Kone Foundation.

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Stage

Studio Pasila

Ratamestarinkatu 5, 00520 Helsinki

More information and arrival instructions

Gallery

Henkilö makaa pimeällä lavalla mikrofonin vieressä, ja lähellä on puulaatikko, oranssi ja lasiesineitä. Taustalla on suuri, abstrakti, vihertävä kuva, joka heijastetaan valkokankaalle.

Kaksi laboratoriotakkiin pukeutunutta tiedemiestä käyttää mikroskooppia ja tietokonetta, ja he heijastavat lähikuvaa kelta-oranssista aineesta suurelle näytölle pimeässä huoneessa. Pöydällä on petrimaljoja ja laboratoriolaitteita.

Valkoiseen takkiin pukeutunut henkilö käyttää elektronisia musiikkilaitteita, kuten koskettimia, mikseriä ja kannettavaa tietokonetta, pöytälampun alla pimeällä lavalla, jonka taustalla on sinisiä valoja.

Lava, jossa on suuri valkokangas ja siniset valot.

Henkilö istuu näyttämöllä ja katselee hänen taaksen heijastettua kuvaa. Hänen edessään on erilaisia esineitä, joiden päällä on mikrofoni. Henkilö tiputtaa rakeita esineiden päälle.

Valkoiseen laboratoriopukuun ja lippikseen pukeutunut henkilö seisoo seinää vasten ja koskettaa sitä molemmilla käsillään, kun seinään ja hänen vartaloonsa heijastetaan abstrakteja, orgaanisia kuvioita.

Sinistä taustaa vasten siluettina oleva henkilö katsoo mikroskoopin läpi mikrofoni kädessään, mikä viittaa siihen, että hän puhuu tai esittelee tieteellisiä tuloksia.

Henkilö, jolla on hiukset ponnarissa, katsoo mikroskooppiin, siluetti sinistä, sumeaa taustaa vasten, keskittyen näytteen tarkasteluun.

Mikroskoopin siluetti pöydällä ja taustalla heijastettu suuri, epätarkka sinivalkoinen tieteellinen kuva.

Tiedemies seisoo sinisen, abstraktin taustan edessä, pitelee lasidiaa ja tutkii sitä mikroskoopin vieressä.

Background

Aalto Magazine

Puppet theatre under a microscope is a collaboration between artists and physicists

In August, Studio Pasila will experience something unique when the world's smallest puppet theatre is seen on stage. The implementation of the presentation was assisted by researchers in applied physics at Aalto University.

Aura Of Puppets

From Physics Laboratories to the Puppet Theatre Stage Part I

Puppet theatre applications from the Cohen Research Group laboratory, Cornell University's Department of Physics. The topic is acoustic and electromagnetic energy.

Aura Of Puppets

From the Physics Laboratory to the Puppet Theatre Stage Part II

Puppet theatre applications from the Cohen Research Group laboratory, Cornell University's Department of Physics. The topic is suspensions and origami.

Kone Foundation

The Physics Laboratory as a Puppet Theatre Stage

The Nano Steps performance was born out of a research question: what could be the world's smallest puppet theatre puppet? There are two types of dramatic actors in the performance: the physics researcher and his research subject, non-human microparticles. A human performer and the world's smallest puppeteers. The setting opens up a horizon of questions: what kind of dramatic agency does material invisible to the human eye have in relation to humans? What is the nature of these two relationships, and how do they affect each other?

Soundcloud

Nano Steps Post-Performance Discussion

Nano Steps: a particle performance concluded it's inaugural shows in Helsinki City Theatre Stage for Contemporary Performance with a post-performance discussion with artists Aati Hanikka, Iiris Syrjä and Valtteri Alanen, scientists Anna Barth and Kemper Ludlow, hosted by curator Suvi Tuominen.

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