Great interest in the Moomin play – already fifty percent of the tickets sold / The Moomin performance is of interest to the audience – half of the tickets are sold!

The interest in Lilla Teatern’s major investment Crisis and Disaster in Moominvalley is great. Two weeks before the premiere, half of the tickets are already sold and the performance attracts audiences all the way from Sweden. 64 years after Vivica Bandler’s legendary production of Trolls behind the scenes , the Moomins are now making a comeback in a completely new version. The play is based on Tove Jansson’s comic book and it is the first time the original comics have been dramatised for a theatre stage.

“For more than ten years, I have been trying to convince theatre managers to carry out my Moomin production without success. Because this performance does not belong on any other stage than at Lilla Teatern, where even the auditorium got its name, the shell, from a Moomin book,” says Lilla Teatern’s artistic director and the show’s director Jakob Höglund. 

Moominvalley Crisis and Disaster is a newly written musical theatre piece that depicts the lesser-known, adult and socially critical side of the beloved Moomins. The plot includes over a hundred fascinating Moomin characters in a unique, black-and-white world of dolls. The stage is occupied by everything from small hand puppets to three-metre-high creations with intricate control mechanisms. 

“With playfulness and enthusiasm, our studios and our artistic staff have crossed borders to realize our stage world. After a work process that lasted more than a year, we can now finally present the results,” says Höglund. 

The music is central, and the lone piano that was often used in the old Lillan revues also returns now, but in an updated form. It is the musician and actor Robert Kock who wrote the music, and together with Höglund designed the speech choirs that often occur under his direction and design. 

On stage: Lumi Aunio, Ulriikka Heikinheimo, Robert Kock, Reetta Moilanen, Elena Rekola, Pia Runnakko, Ursula Salo, Riina Tikkanen, Alexander Wendelin and Joachim Wigelius.

Writer Tove Jansson, direction and choreography Jakob Höglund, dramatization and lyrics Annina Enckell, set design and actors’ costumes Sven Haraldsson, puppet design and production Heini Maaranen, characters’ costumes and props Heini Maaranen, composer Robert Kock, lighting design Ville Aaltonen, sound design Antero Mansikka, make-up Maija Sillanpää, musical supervisor Marcus Fagerudd, assistant director and choreography Soile Ojala.

The first time a Moomin play was staged was in 1949, and the first at Lilla Teatern was the performance Troll in the Wings in 1958. The play was written by Tove Jansson and directed by Vivica Bandler. It was also at this time that Erna Tauro joined the working group and added her songs to the performance. Troll in the Wings was an international success and Lilla Teatern, with actors Lasse Pöysti and Birgitta Ulfsson at the helm, became known throughout the Nordic region. 

The performance is subtitled in Finnish, English and Swedish. 

Crisis and Disaster in Moominvalley, premiere 1.10.2022 at Lilla Teatern. Yrjönkatu 30. Tickets lippu.fi

Right of Conduct: Agency North / Moomin Characters

Press images are available in the image bank and press releases in Cision’s press room

Further information, press tickets and interview requests:

Marketer Ida Virkkunen,  ida.virkkunen@lillateatern.fi, 050 357 4250

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The Moomin performance is of interest to the audience – half of the tickets are sold!

There is great interest in Lilla Teatern’s performance Kris och katastrof i Moominalen. Two weeks before the premiere, half of the tickets have already been sold out, and the performance is of interest to audiences all the way to Sweden. 64 years after Vivica Bandler’s legendary performance of Troll i kulisserna, the Moomins are making a comeback in a new form. The play is based on Tove Jansson’s original comics, which will now be seen on stage for the first time. 

“For more than ten years, I have tried to get the directors of different theatres to implement my idea of a Moomin performance, but to no avail. However, the performance belongs specifically to Lilla Teatern, whose stage even gets its name, the shell, from the Moomin book,” says Jakob Höglund, Lilla Teatern’s artistic director and director of the performance. 

Kris och katastrof i Moominvalley is a new musical theatre work that highlights the lesser-known, adult-oriented and socially critical side of the beloved Moomins. The stage is taken over by more than a hundred fascinating Moomin characters in a unique, black-and-white puppet world. There are dolls ranging from small hand puppets to three-meter creations with complex control systems. 

“Playfully and full of enthusiasm, our workshops and artistic designers have pushed boundaries to bring our stage world to life. After a year of work, we can finally present the end result,” says Höglund.

Music plays a central role, and the solitary piano, which was also used in Lillan’s revues in the old days, is included in an updated form. Musician and actor Robert Kock has composed the music for the performance and, together with director Jakob Höglund, created the choir parts familiar from Höglund’s previous directions.

On stage: Lumi Autio, Ulriikka Heikinheimo, Robert Kock, Reetta Moilanen, Elena Rekola, Pia Runnakko, Ursula Salo, Riina Tikkanen, Alexander Wendelin and Joachim Wigelius.

Author Tove Jansson, director and choreographer Jakob Höglund, dramatization and lyrics Annina Enckell, set design and actors’ costumes Sven Haraldsson, puppet design and production Heini Maaranen, character costumes and props Heini Maaranen, composer Robert Kock, lighting design Ville Aaltonen, sound design Antero Mansikka, disguise by Maija Sillanpää, musical supervisor Marcus Fagerudd, director’s assistant Soile Ojala. 

The first Moomin performance was seen at the Swedish Theatre in 1949. Lilla Teatern’s first Moomin performance was Troll i kulisserna in 1958. The play was written by Tove Jansson and directed by Vivica Bandler. The music was provided by Erna Tauro. The performance became an international success, and Lilla Teatern and actors Lasse Pöysti and Birgitta Ulfsson became known in the Nordic countries.

Crisis and Disaster in Moominvalley, premiere 1.10.2022 Lilla Teatern, Yrjönkatu 30. Tickets: lippu.fi

The performance will be subtitled in Finnish, English and Swedish. 

Performance rights supervised by: Agency North / Moomin Characters

Press photos can be found in the image bank and press releases in the newsroom.

Further information, media ticket reservations and interview requests:

Marketer Ida Virkkunen,  ida.virkkunen@lillateatern.fi, 050 357 4250