Under the North Star: Parts 1 and 2

A New Interpretation of a Modern National Epic

“Be there wars or what have you, one must still love. Get married and have children. It’d be a crying shame if this world went to ruin just because of the schemes of the great and powerful. We little folk just have to try and keep this world standing.”

The two-part Under the North Star (Täällä Pohjantähden alla) is a powerful stage production following the fate of the Koskela family and our nation, seen and felt through the eyes of Alma Koskela (Tuula Väänänen). It is a story of the land, of labor, and of a love that endures even when conflicts and wars sweep over everything. Alma leads the audience through the decades, sharing her journey as a mother and, later, a grandmother.

Under the North Star: Parts 1 and 2 is a fresh stage adaptation of Väinö Linna’s (1920–1992) three-part masterpiece (1959–1962). With this trilogy, Linna permanently changed the way Finns understand their own history and collective trauma.

Coming from a working-class background, Linna gave a face and a voice to the tenant farmers and laborers, bringing to light the experiences and motives of the Reds—the losing side of the Finnish Civil War (1918). With Under the North Star, he challenged the official historical narrative, which had largely been dictated by the victors, the Whites.

“They always disappear behind the barn. That’s where we set off from—to a rebellion or a war, to be shot or to go to work. Wherever it is we’re headed at the time.”

The play is adapted and directed by Esa-Matti Smolander. Guest designers include set designer Helka Saariniemi and costume designer Iida Ukkola. Hair and makeup design is by Eija Juutistenaho, sound design by Jari Niemi, and lighting design by Jukka Kyllönen. The production features a total of 13 actors from our resident ensemble.

The performance language is Finnish, with English subtitles provided.

Director

Esa-Matti Smolander is a director who graduated from the Theatre Academy of Uniarts Helsinki in 2024. Since 2021, he has served as the Artistic Director of Teatteri Vanha Juko. His theatrical language blends humanity’s greatest questions with a warm sense of carnivalism. Smolander’s previous directorial works include Crime and Punishment at Q-teatteri, Blood Roses (Veriruusut) at Teatteri Vanha Juko, and The Seagull at Lahti City Theatre.