Theater director Akse Pettersson reflects on the meaning of art and the middle age

When Akse Pettersson watched the visit of the Russian theater from the balcony of the National Theater when he was a student, he thought that his direction would hardly end up here.

Now Pettersson is the home director of the National Theatre. It means directing about three works for the theater in six years. It also means a private study room on the fourth floor of the National Theatre, which offers a view over the roofs.

Rehearsals for the new work will begin in November at the National Theatre. It goes by the working name Lessons for the living. According to Pettersson, the work deals with a “personal experience of stupidity”. The premiere is next spring.

In addition, Pettersson’s originally directed as a farewell performance for Teatteri Takomo has been running to sold-out audiences at the Kansallisteatteri Farewell to the coffee room and premiered at Q-Theatre last fall Some discussions about meaning.

Pretty good year.

Of the latest Pettersson’s works convey a middle-aged person’s tragic look at (working) life. The big choices have already been made, but maybe you could still tear up and start a croissant cafe in Paris.

Does middle age rub off?

“You don’t think about it as a concept, but it is inevitable that certain processes are associated with this age, such as hair loss and hearing loss in my case,” Pettersson says and sips from a cup of coffee. It has a picture of two small children on the side.

The first child was born four years ago, the second a year ago. At the same time, my own parents get sick and loved ones die.

“Questions of remembering and meaning are present without looking for it.”

Pettersson says that he wants to let the things that are present in life be present in his works as well.

“I think that if the observation is genuine and what I’m trying to say about it is honest, it can produce something good in the world. It is the ethical, spiritual and philosophical foundation on which the action rests.”

Not about Pettersson needed a theater man to come. Art did interest me, like drawing, painting and writing. In the family, there was an atmosphere in favor of culture and art, but not art-centered. The journalist’s father had once studied painting.

“I must have had a similar fantasy that I could make fairy tale books.”

Music has also been a part of life since youth. Pettersson plays guitar and percussion in the “Swedish-language art rock” band Häxjesus, and has been learning a new instrument at regular intervals.

At some point, he also had a “bad” karaoke hobby, which has calmed down a bit now. The feat was, of course, Sinatran My Way.

Little everything seems to interest Pettersson. Only overgrown self-criticism has held back. For example, he abandoned his painting dreams for the time being, because he didn’t consider himself good enough when he was young.

That’s why theater has been a good art form for him. As a result of collective writing, Pettersson’s, VS Luoma-ahon and Harry Salmenniemen common audio book Avocado sex.

“Other people engage and encourage you to overcome a certain difficult phase.”

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When asked why he makes art, Pettersson answers “why not?”.

In high school Pettersson participated in the youth philosophy competition, and was chosen to represent Finland in Tokyo, where he placed third. At that time, the plans were to study philosophy at the university. However, graduation from high school was delayed. Pettersson overslept on the morning of the Finnish listening comprehension test.

The study guide suggested that you can apply for the acting program without high school graduation papers.

Pettersson failed in the final stage of the entrance exams. Through the entrance exams, however, he had been recommended as a screenwriter-director Joakim Grothilleand Pettersson got to play a small role in the second of the Groth family trilogy osaan An angel flew by (2004).

“While watching Joakim’s work, it occurred to me that directing might suit me.”

Pettersson finished high school, worked as a school attendance assistant and applied again to the University of the Arts Theater College for the director’s line.

To the question about why he makes art, Pettersson answers “why not?”.

“Conceptualizing the question is easy to oversimplify,” says Pettersson, squirming in his office chair. For him, art is terribly difficult to defend.

“Museum activities and art are society’s memory and subconscious, but I don’t know what would happen if they were stopped. I just know that as an artist I have a strong need to do, but I don’t know if I have the right to demand the opportunity to do it.”

He responds to the luxury talk of art by asking if Skate Parks are a luxury. What about basketball, taxi rides and oranges?

“Yes, our whole being here is quite a privileged luxury.”

The conversational atmosphere affects Pettersson in such a way that he is not on social media but focuses on his own immediate environment.

“I don’t want to argue about things that people seem to have ready-made opinions about. It is necessary to build a new kind of space for ambivalence and uncertainty.”

What would you tell your 20-year-old self?

“Love your life, don’t be afraid of it.”

Read more: Kaspar Hauser of the Q theater is a theater case