Jessikan Pentu

(engl. JESSICA’S CUB, Leea Klemola 2012)

JESSIKAN PENTU is a performance about addiction to technology, lost relationship to nature and longing to times before civilization. Original play is written by Leea Klemola.

JESSIKA sets up a performance to Studio 2 of Theatre Academy Helsinki to reconnect with his son Ilves and husband Jari. Connection between family members is lost as Ilves and Jari spend their days only with technology. Jessika brings her mother Eila, husband Jari and therapy dog Jekku to Theatre Academy to make a performance with them. Idea is to re-enact for Ilves a perfect childhood trip and through this empower the whole family. But the show just won’t come together: technical problems occur, dog Jekku chases rabbits, and mom Eila needs to use the bathroom. Jessika panics and her yearning to get away from civilization and back to nature takes over. Animal instincts take over Jessika in front of live audience and a video camera, streaming everything to Ilves’ computer.

JESSIKAN PENTU performance is set as a live happening where characters of the play try to get the stage, props, video camera, light, sound – and most importantly, their co-operation – working in front of the audience. As the performance goes along, the set transforms to support Jessika’s mindset. The performance takes place in a white studio where there’s nothing else than one see through curtain at the back of the space. Space and lightning follow the idea of the space been rented for this purpose only few hours ago. As the performance goes along, the curtain and its backspace form a space for the ancient, the animal and the un-civil.