Helsinki City Theatre’s new touring children’s theatre production from its audience engagement programme, Naapurini, is based on ideas, sounds and drawings collected from children at daycare centres in Malmi. The production explores moving to a new home, feeling nervous, finding courage and making new friends. Naapurini will premiere at Malmitalo on 11 September.

Helsinki City Theatre’s autumn season at Lilla Teatern opens with De obehöriga, a contemporary satire by Swedish horror writer John Ajvide Lindqvist. With warm humour, the play explores topical issues such as insecurity and fear of the unknown. The production marks David Sandqvist’s directorial debut as Artistic Director of Lilla Teatern, and the cast includes Sampo Sarkola, who has made few stage appearances since 2016.

Helsinki City Theatre, Wasa Teater and Åbo Svenska Teater are launching a three-year collaboration in which each theatre will take turns producing a show that will then tour to the other two cities. The first production is När Baba faller i poolen är kl. 23.47, premiering at Lilla Teatern on 29 October. The play by Spanish-Swedish playwright Astrid Menasanch Tobieson explores themes of class, racism and human dignity.

Based on Iida Turpeinen’s bestselling novel (Kustantamo S&S, 2023), Elolliset traces the story of a species hunted to extinction from the 18th century to the present day. This visually and aurally striking co-production by Helsinki City Theatre and the WAUHAUS collective brings to the stage a cast of historical figures who lived through pivotal moments in the history of natural science. Adapted for the stage by Pipsa Lonka, the play will have its world premiere on 3 September at the Small Stage.

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.