Who is Finnish?
Who is Finnish? (2013) was a theatre production by Ferske Scener, based on a text concept in three parts by Kristina Junttila. The production had its world premiere during the festival Vårscenefest in Tromsø.
Kristina Junttila and Kristin Eriksen Bjørn shared responsibility for the direction. Juntilla was responsible for the direction concept. Bjørn instructed the actors.
The first part of Who is Finnish? is a short dramatic work based on interviews with Norwegians of Finnish descents and Finnish immigrants to Northern Norway. The second part is a theoretical introduction about multilingualism. The third part is Junttila's own story about being bilingual.
The original title in Norwegian is Kven er finsk. This is a wordplay: The word "kven" is both New Norwegian for "who" and a Norwegian word for being a Norwegian of Finnish descent.
Information
(Objekt ID 99004)| Object type | Production |
| Premiere | May 2013 |
| Produced by | Ferske Scener |
| Language | Norwegian dialect |
| Keywords | Theatre |
| Running period | May 2013 |
| Website | FERSKE SCENER |
At the webpage of Ferske Scener the following, among other things, is written about Who is Finnish?:
"Who is Finnish? is a performance in three parts, about language fixation, about the uncontrollable in being multilingual and whether Kristina Junttila is Finnish or Norwegian.
The first part
is a short dramatic work based on interviews with Norwegians of Finnish descent and Finnish immigrants to Northern Norway. Two Finnish and one Norwegian actor challenge us with Finnish long breaks and Norwegian nodding.
In the second part
a linguist provides knowledge on multilingualism. How many seconds does the average person wait to respond to another person in Finland?
In the third part
we get to know Kristina Junttila's autobiography. She moves between the Finnish and the Norwegian languages, seemingly with no problem, and she has always heard that multilingual people understand the world better and become demented later. At the same time, language is as personal as body, and the times when she doesn't master speaking pure Norwegian or true Finnish feel like defeats.
Take part in voting over Kristina being Finnish or Norwegian!
The concept was developed in collaboration with Ferske Scener."
SOURCE:
Ferske Scener, ferskescener.no, 14.04.2020, https://www.ferskescener.no/forestilling/kven-er-finsk/
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Kristina Junttila | – Concept/Idea |
| Kristina Junttila | – Direction |
| Kristin Eriksen Bjørn | – Instruction |
| Bernt Bjørn | – Actor |
| Olavi Junttila | – Actor |
| Jussi Salminen | – Actor |
| Kristine Bentzen | – Consultant (lingvist) |
| Ingvill Fossheim | – Consultant (scenografi) |
| May 2013 (Vårscenefest) | Worldwide premiere |
| Vårscenefest | May 2013 |