This year’s program includes artists from Canada, France, Italy, Estonia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Czechia and Ukraine. Czechia is represented by the Naive Theatre Liberec – one of the first professional puppet theatres established in former Czechoslovakia in 1949 and by the ALFA Theatre from Pilsen– opened as the Children’s Theatre in 1966.

The production of the Naive Theatre Liberec – Red Balloon (age recommendation: 3+) – tells a story of a little boy and his balloon, which not only can fly wherever it wishes, but above all it can return the boy's friendship. In cooperation with designer Berta Doubková, it was prepared by a creative team that has created a number of award-winning titles for the youngest audience.

Red Balloon will be performed in Helsinki and Espoo on 26, 27 and 28 August.

The second Czech production of the ALFA Theatre (performed in English, with subtitles in Finnish) – Transport: Tipping Point (age recommendation: 14+) – is a gripping, documentary-style theatre performance that places the audience at the heart of a courtroom drama. It sparks a dialogue about global transport, human needs, trade, fossil fuels, corporate interests and the environment. This production is a part of the international cooperation project Transport under the Creative Europe programme.

Transport: Tipping Point will be performed in Helsinki on 28, 29 and 30 August.

In addition to theatre performances, the festival offers an accompanying program including workshops, exhibitions and discussion events. A special Festival Club also provides an informal setting for meetings of artists with the public.

More information about performance times, the program and tickets can be found on the festival’s website.

ALFA Theatre, Transport: Tipping Point, photo: © Alžběta Huclová