Audiences found their way back to the Helsinki City Theatre

At the beginning of 2022, performance activities were still limited due to the pandemic, and the City Theatre postponed the start of its season from January to March. Autumn 2022 was the first performance season after autumn 2019 without the restrictions caused by the coronavirus.

“We are very grateful and happy that the audience has found their way back to our performances! In the autumn, the occupancy rate on all five of our stages was almost 80 per cent, and on our main stage almost 90 per cent. Group and corporate sales have also returned to their nearly one cent volumes. After the pandemic, there seems to be an even greater need for a live performance, an experiential story and encounters,” says theatre director Kari Arffman.

A total of 548 performances were seen in 2022, and the repertoire included a total of 31 different productions, of which 20 were premieres. In addition, more than 21,000 theatre friends participated in various audience outreach events and public events during the year.

The party musical Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (53,261) and the musical adventure for the whole family Tatu and Patu in Helsinki (10,655), which has become a box office magnet on the big stage, attracted the most viewers during the year, the former of which will continue in the programme for the spring season of 2023.

On the small stage, the audience was particularly interested in Silent Bridges (5,477), starring Kari Heiskanen and Merja Larivaara, and I Chose You (4,174), directed by Milja Sarkola, both of which will continue in the spring season.

The spring programme also continues with the favourites of the Arena stage, the British farce The Play That Goes Wrong (14,325) and the record-breaking all-time favourite Stones in the Pocket (9,354).

The favourites of the Swedish-language Lilla Teatern were the Moomin play Kris och katastrof i Moominalen (4,938) and My Fantastic Friend (4,197), based on Elena Ferrante’s bestselling novels, the former of which will continue in the spring season.

Studio Pasila’s most watched performances were Leea Klemola and Rosa-Maria Perä’sDangerous Relationships (4,674) and the stand-up club Club Act!one (4,037).

Of the performances of the dance group Helsinki Dance Company, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, the dance piece Lomonosov’s Engine (3,015), directed by Valtteri Raekallio, received the most viewers.

HKT’s performances were also seen outside the company’s own house. Stones in the Pocket, starring Mika Nuojua and Martti Suosalo, visited six cities during the year and was also streamed at the Quarantine Theatre. Bolla, directed by Milja Sarkola, was seen in the main programme of the Tampere Theatre Festival. In addition, the youth theatre performance WHO DIS? of the Malmi project for audience outreach received four performances at Malmitalo. The Nice Journey! baby theatre performance aimed at culture’s godchildren toured Helsinki’s playgrounds.

The pre-sale of spring 2023 performances also looks promising. Sales of the winter premieres, Not Told Regret and Asmodeus and 1313 Souls, have started well. The performances of Fanny and Alexander’s spring season are full, and the performances of Priscilla, who will continue in the repertoire until May, are almost full (86%). To the repertoire, the popular performances Drama That Goes Wrong, Once (in Finnish) and The Security Guard have shown that additional performances were needed.

Helsinki City Theatre ticket sales and customer service by phone (09) 3940 22 Mon–Fri 9 am–5 pm. Ticket offices Ensi linja 2, Mon-Fri 12 noon – 5 pm, Eläintarhantie 5, Sat 11 am – 6 pm and one hour before the performance and Lippu.fi Mon-Sat 9 am – 9 pm, Sun 10 am – 6 pm, tel. 0600 900 900 (2 €/min + local network charge) www.hkt.fi @hktfi #hktfi #helsinginkaupunginteatteriFurther information, media ticket reservations and interview requests:
Kaisa Pelkonen, Communications Manager, kaisa.pelkonen@hkt.fi, 040 552 3788
Helsinki City Theatre, Ensi linja 2, 00530 Helsinki