My Brother the Lionheart, which charmed children and adults, will continue in the City Theatre’s repertoire in autumn 2025
Helsinki City Theatre’s majorinvestment for children and families, Veljeni Leijonamieli, will continue in the theatre’s programme in autumn 2025. Directed by Jakob Höglund, this magical performance combining music theatre, puppet theatre and choreography has delighted children and adults alike, and the performances for this autumn and spring 2025 are almost sold out.
“With Brother Leijonamieli, we wanted to offer children and young people visually impressive and artistically ambitious large-stage musical theatre and bring Lindgren’s beloved fairy tale classic to a new generation. I’m really happy that so many people have found their way to the play. The story speaks to people of all ages and is important to many adults already from their own childhood. In this day and age, we need art, and we decided to extend the performance season of the play so that as many people as possible can experience this wonderful work,” says Theatre Director Kari Arffman. My Brother the Lion’s Mind premiered on the big stage of the Helsinki City Theatre on October 17, 2024, and the auditorium has been filled with performances after performances. The occupancy rate of this autumn’s performances is a staggering 98%, and 86% of the tickets for the spring have already been sold and reserved. Astrid Lindgren’s My Brother Lionheart is a beloved classic fairy tale, a magical fantasy about brothers who carry each other through difficulties. It is a story of brotherhood and love, as well as an exciting adventure where everyone finds their courage. The work is directed by Jakob Höglund and dramatized by Alexander Mørk-Eidem. The text is arranged, translated and lyrics by Rasmus Arikka. The composition and sound design are by Stefan Johansson and the choreography is by Jakob Höglund and the working group. Johanna Elovaara has acted as the assistant to the director and choreographer. The set design is by Vilma Mattila and the assistant set designer is Riku Suvitie. The camouflage was designed by Milja Mensonen and the costumes by Heidi Wikar. Toni Haaranen and William Iles are responsible for the lighting and video design. The puppets of the performance have been designed by Heini Maaranen. The singing coach has been Jukka Nylund and the dramaturg is Ari-Pekka Lahti. The recommended age for the performance is from 9 years of age and up. The language of the performance is Finnish. The performances of My Brother the Lion’s Heart are subtitled in Finnish, Swedish and English via the Subtitle Mobile mobile application. Read the interview with the director and designers on the theatre’s website: My Brother Lion’s Heart – When Love Conquers Death
Watch the trailer for the play: Trailer: Veljeni Leijonamieli performances on the main stage of the Helsinki City Theatre (Eläintarhantie 5). Tickets from 1.10.2025: basic ticket 59 €, children’s ticket 29 €, student ticket 29,50 € (Mon-Thu) and pensioner ticket 56 € (Mon-Thu) #veljenileijonamieli @hktfi Helsinki City Theatre ticket sales and customer service by phone (09) 3940 22 Mon-Fri 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Ticket offices Ensi linja 2, Mon-Fri 12-17, Eläintarhantie 5, Sat (on performance days) 11-18.30 and one hour before the performance and Lippu.fi, Mon-Sat 9-21, Sun 10-16, tel. 0600 900 900 (2 €/from min+local network charge) www.hkt.fi In the photo: Mikko Kauppila and Alexander Wendelin. Photo: Otto-Ville Väätäinen. Further information, media ticket reservations and interview requests: Kaisa Pelkonen, Communications Manager, kaisa.pelkonen@hkt.fi, 040 552 3788Helsinki City Theatre, Ensi linja 2, 00530 Helsinki