Tartsan and Plastic Jungle Landed in Äänekoski

Kartano Kievari’s summer theatre delights the whole family even in August, when the stage hosts Tartsan and the Plastic Jungle by the Jyväskylä-based theatre Teatterikone. The story is familiar, but the setting has changed. The set features tarps, plastic and bottles. We are on a plastic island, where the new-era Tartsan (Aaro Vuotila) lives in isolation from the rest of the world, cherishing his father Lordi Harmaalämpö’s legacy. Climate researcher Meeri Pöly (Minna Tuomanen) and her pet rat Rottis (Tanja Drabczyk) arrive on the island unexpectedly.

The play tackles a serious topic—plastic waste and the pollution of the seas—but without preaching or scaring. The play is rich in music and entertaining. There’s no shortage of action, just as a Tartsan adventure should be.

Teatterikone’s plays and their music are mainly created by the actors themselves. The same is true here: the text and music are by Aaro Vuotila. Vuotila said that what came first was the need to take a stand on the plastic waste problem, along with the title Tartsan and the Plastic Jungle. The story started to take shape around the name, and in autumn 2019 the play had its premiere in Teatterikone’s own venue, Juomatehdas Studio, in Jyväskylä. The play is literally suitable for all ages. At the Jyväskylä preview, the audience were high school students, and the youngest viewer has, in turn, been 1 year old.

In the summer theatre version, the story underwent changes. Rottis, previously a hand puppet, was too small for the larger venue. A remarkable transformation took place and it grew into a full-fledged actor. In the summer theatre version, Rottis is played by Tanja Drabczyk. Director Annu Sankilampi sees this as an opportunity and a richness. New perspectives and dimensions emerge. The play’s purpose is to emphasize hope and the great importance of small actions. Even plastic can have a new chance if it is recycled. Then trash can become treasure. The wildest dream for reusing plastic in the play is a plastic food machine.

Welcome to enjoy a great time with the whole family! The premiere at Kartano Kievari’s summer theatre is on Friday 14.8 at 18:00. The performance season continues until 30 August.

Memorable theatre moments!

You can find tickets and performance times on the Kievarin Kesäteatteri website

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