MUKAMAS 2026 – International Puppet Theatre Festival’s performances for adults show the diverse expressive power of puppet theatre. The international performances touch upon refugeehood, isolation, body memories, and the importance of solidarity and spirit. The works of local puppet theatre artists contain different textiles of life and intense poetry. The adult audience is also invited to a lecture and music evening at Teatteri Mukamas.
Adventures in the north, crossing borders, textiles and mood images
The performance Arctic Tall Tales by the Canadian artist collective La ruée vers l’or recently charmed the audience in Helsinki. Now MUKAMAS 2026 offers a unique opportunity to see the work on the Hällä stage. This larger-than-life experience is based on the short stories of Danish author Jørn Riel, in which he described his own adventures in North-East Greenland. La ruée vers l’or specializes in puppet theatre performances for adults and young people, in which live music and sound effects play a central role. The collective draws inspiration from genre films, cartoons, object theatre and storytelling. Its performances are dynamic and participatory, with an emphasis on aesthetic sensitivity, as well as plenty of humour and humanity.
The Finnish Grus Grus Teatteri’s production Invisible Lands premiered in 2015 and has since been performed in over 20 countries. The work has received a rare five-star review in The Guardian. Invisible Lands is a story about people displaced by war. What is special about the performance is the path they take. Every mountain, snowy peak, vast desert and nighttime highway is created with the bodies of the performers. Grus Grus Theatre is a multidisciplinary nomadic theatre and experience service provider that also calls itself a spiritual airline.
Anne Välinoro‘s Liina-tango -performance’s premiere will be seen in the festival. In her one-woman performance, long-time theatre maker from Tampere uses different cloths as a means of object theatre. Liina-Tango is a dramatic ensemble of textiles that touch the skin. Everyone has a cloth that is associated with special feelings. “From a dream rag to the tongue of the skin, from ironing boards to cuffs.”
Haihara Puppet Theatre’s brand new performance Mielialakuvia / Stämningsbilder is based on the poetry books of the theatre’s founder Gunvor Grahn.The intense performance features poems in both Finnish and Swedish.
Adult events feature color light therapy and fun festival clubbing
MUKAMAS 2026 – Adult’s festival events offer free admission experiences at Teatteri Mukamas in Pispala.
Anna-Liisa Tarvainen, one of the founders of Teatteri Mukamas, will give a lecture on new technique for metallic color light therapy. The art therapist and long-time puppeteer will talk about the development and use of the therapy. She has completed a three-year MVV therapist course and is the first to practice it in Finland. Registration is required for the free event.
When it gets dark on the festival Saturday, Teatteri Mukamas will open its doors to free admission for MUKAMAS Music Evening. There will be a fun atmosphere and warm jamming, led by Minä ja Nieminen band, among others. You can buy treat bracelets on site, which entitle you to refreshments.
PERFORMANCES FOR ADULTS
LA RUÉE VERS L’OR: ARCTIC TALL TALES (CAN)
Sat 19.9. at 16.00 & 19.00
Venue: Hällä-stage
Age recommendation: 15 years and up
Language: In English
GRUS GRUS TEATTERI: INVISIBLE LANDS (FIN)
Fri 18.9. at 18.00 & 21.00
Venue: Teatteri Mukamas
Age recommendation: Ages 13 and up
Speechless
ANNE VÄLINORO: LIINA-TANGO (FIN)
Thu 17.9. at 19.30
Venue: Teatteri Mukamas
Age recommendation:Ages 15 and up
Language: In Finnish
HAIHARAN NUKKETEATTERI: MIELIALAKUVIA – STÄMNINGSBILDER (FIN)
Sat 19.9. at 19.00
Venue: Haiharan nukketeatteri
Age recommendation: Ages 12 and up
Language: In Finnish & Swedish
EVENTS DOR ADULTS
HOITAVA VALO – LUENTO METALLIVÄRIVALOTERAPIASTA
Lecturer: Anna-Liisa Tarvainen
Thu 17.9. At 17.00
Venue: Teatteri Mukamas
Language: In Finnish
Free event. The venue has limited capacity, so please reserve your place.
Registration opens in our ticket shop.
MUKAMAS Music Evening
Headliner: Minä ja Nieminen
Sat 19.9. at 20.30
Venue: Teatteri Mukamas
Free entry