Theatre Against Stagnation

Abstract

This article explores theatrical exchanges across the Baltic Sea in the 1930s as part of the cultural diplomacy of recently independent Finland. The Finnish National Theatre visited the Estonia Theatre in Tallinn in 1931 and in 1937, and the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm in 1936. These theatre visits were different in terms of the visiting production. In Stockholm in 1936, and in Tallinn in 1937, the Finnish National Theatre showcased its work, while during the bilateral exchange with the Estonia Theatre in 1931, the main actors of two of the productions visited the other theatre and the audiences saw two hybrid performances of the two productions. Therefore, the visits are discussed in terms of international and transnational exchange.