Based on Iida Turpeinen's bestselling novel (Publisher S&S, 2023), Living follows the story of an extinct species from the 1700s to the present day. In the audio-visually impressive co-production of the Helsinki City Theatre and the WAUHAUS collective, a group of people who have lived at turning points in the history of natural science march onto the stage. The play, dramatised by Pipsa Longa, will premiere on 3 September on a small stage.

An enthusiastic wife and her level-headed engineer husband find a new spark in their long-established relationship at a guerrilla training camp when Kotijoukot premieres on 2 September at the Arena Stage. This fast-paced new comedy is the work of award-winning comedy talents, actor-writers Niina Lahtinen and Joonas Nordman, and director Anna Dahlman. Kotijoukot marks the trio’s first collaboration in theatre.

The world’s best-known love story gets a new ending when & Julia, the hit musical that has captivated audiences in London and on Broadway, premieres on the Main Stage at Helsinki City Theatre on 20 August. Pulsing with producer Max Martin’s chart-topping hits from the 1990s and early 2000s, the jukebox musical has already sold 63% of its tickets.

Inspired by the courtship dances of birds-of-paradise, professional wrestling and gender stereotypes, choreographer Tiia Kasurinen’s new dance work Birds of Paradise explores the forms of masculinity rewarded by our culture. What kinds of choreographies do birds and humans create to be noticed, accepted and chosen? Developed during Helsinki City Theatre’s Stage for Contemporary Performance summer residency, the work premieres at Studio Pasila on 6 August.

Helsinki City Theatre welcomed more than 270,000* audience members during the 2025–2026 season. In addition, over 18,000 people took part in audience engagement activities and various events. Across the theatre’s five stages, a total of 764 performances and 32 different productions were presented, including 17 premieres. The autumn 2026 programme has also attracted considerable interest from theatregoers. Finland’s largest theatre has continued to advance its environmental efforts as well.

Choreographer Tiia Kasurinen's Birds of Paradise examines power and stereotypical masculinity by colliding the courtship dances of birds of paradise, show wrestling, club culture and contemporary dance. The physical and playful work shows how both birds and humans build choreographies to be noticed, accepted and chosen. The work, which will be completed at the Helsinki City Theatre's Contemporary Performance Stage's summer residency, will premiere on 6 August at Studio Pasila.