The House of Known Unknowns

Imagine wandering through a house – or perhaps through time? On every staircase landing, in every corner, or in the next room, memories come alive and snippets of stories are heard. Some are quotes you know by heart, while others become new favourites. Some remind you of a pleasant theatre experience from years ago but now inspire entirely new thought processes. Estonian playwriting opens the door for you: step inside!

From September 2-7, the Tartu German Cultural Institute (Kastani 1) is immersed in Estonian playwriting, from basement to attic! Domestic and international audiences can delve deeply into local dramaturgy at an interactive exhibition and thematic meetings. The highlight of the event is the play reading marathon (September 5-6), during which 30 Estonian plays from different eras will be presented in ten blocks.

In each block, excerpts of three plays from different time periods will be read aloud. This approach seeks to find common threads and distinctive characteristics of Estonian playwriting, which evoke feelings of recognition while also revealing entirely new and undiscovered narratives in Estonian theatre history.

The plays are selected and grouped by dramaturges Anne-Ly Sova and Sven Karja, each block is directed by a different director from Estonia or abroad. Each part of the marathon will be accompanied by a distinctive video, lighting, and sound design, emphasising the uniqueness of each play. To reach a wider audience, the play reading marathon will be accompanied by an English translation.

An interactive exhibition, created in collaboration between the Estonian Theatre Agency and artist Illimar Vihmar, will be open for the whole week, reflecting the journey of becoming an author and seeking, among other things, the answer to the eternal question of where inspiration comes from. In addition to the exhibits, there is a pop-up library where you can borrow plays from the Tartu City Library’s collection.

The House of Known Unknowns is led by the Estonian Theatre Agency – a development and competence centre for Estonian performing arts, tasked with promoting local playwriting and introducing it to international audiences. Thus, after the marathon ends, momentum will continue for the playwrights featured in the event through the sharing of English translations with foreign theatres, dramaturges, and directors.

The event is part of the official program of the DRAAMA festival, with the festival headquarters and club located in the Tartu German Culture Institute.

More and less known works of Estonian playwriting reach a wider audience through various event formats, encouraging visitors to delve deeper into the topic themselves.