How can you live, when a huge part of you is repressed?

THEM presents the pain of not fitting in, the thrill in finding your strength, the shame of misusing it and the sorrow of not knowing how to cry. It is a performance about men dealing with toxic masculinity and women dealing with men – everyone trying to have the right to be, just be.

Four women from Iceland and Finland dive into the world of men and share their stories about love, fathers, sexuality, pride and the fear of being a burden. By visiting someone else’s life, the actresses try to understand their own condition living in a world that’s not designed for them.

The audience will experience men fighting against being vulnerable and finding out why they need to be.

This award-winning physical theatre performance, based on dozens of interviews with male identifying people from different countries, as well as the creators’ own personal stories, has been in the making since 2016. It has taken on many different shapes and forms since, with audiences in Iceland, Finland and England and received praising reviews.

The performance is in English and is 60 minutes long.

Suitable for ages 16+

Photos: Anna Maggy, Design: Louis Crevier

Creative Team 2021 Onwards

PRODUCER
Nanna Gunnars & Spindrift Theatre

DIRECTOR & CHOREOGRAPHER
Unnur Elísabet Gunnarsdóttir

DRAMATURGE
Auður Bergdís

ACTRESSES
Bergdís Júlía Jóhannsdóttir
Anna Korolainen Crevier
Marjo Lahti
Tinna Thorvalds Önnudóttir

CO-AUTHOR
Sólveig Eva Magnúsdóttir

COMPOSER
Ragnheiđur Erla Björnsdóttir

LIGHTING DESIGN
Juliette Louste

SET DESIGN
Sara Hjördís Blöndal

SUPPORTED BY
Nordisk kulturkontakt
Tjarnarbíó
Rannís
Reykjavíkurborg
The Icelandic-Finnish Cultural Foundation
Arts Promotion Centre Finland
Finnish Cultural Foundation
From Start To Finnish
Icelandic Embassy in London
Actor's Union Iceland

Performances

2024 Aranya Theatre Festival, China

2023 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Scotland

2022 Reykjavík Fringe Festival, Iceland

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT PERFORMANCES

23.4.2022 Jacksons Lane Theatre, London, UK

05.12.2021 Dansverkstæðið, Reykjavik, Iceland

11.7.2020 Tjarnarbio & online, Reykjavik Fringe Festival, Reykjavik, Iceland

4.8.2018 Lyse Nætter Literature Festival, Copenhagen, Denmark

10–14.10.2017 Teater Viirus – Helsinki, Finland

6.10.2017 Feminist Association Unioni – Helsinki, Finland

24.6.2017 Mikró festival – Höfn, Iceland

Awards

Nominated for Choreography and stage movements – Icelandic Stage Arts Awards Gríman 2023

Audience’s Choice – Gothenburg Fringe Festival 2022

Best ensemble – Reykjavik Fringe Festival 2022

Nordic Fringe Network Award – Reykjavik Fringe Festival 2020

THEM trailer 2022 by Andrew Sim

THEM trailer 2017 by Louis Crevier

Creative Team in 2017

PRODUCER
Suvi Nousiainen & Spindrift Theatre

DIRECTOR
Anna Korolainen Crevier

CO-DIRECTOR
Bergdís Júlía Jóhannsdóttir

DRAMATURGE
Minerva Pietilä

CO-AUTHOR
Sólveig Eva Magnúsdóttir

ACTRESSES
Bergdís Júlía Jóhannsdóttir
Anna Korolainen
Marjo Lahti
Tinna Thorvalds Önnudóttir

SOUND DESIGN
Kristian Pernilä

LIGHTING DESIGN
Markus Alanen

SET DESIGN
Eva Björg Harðardóttir

ART DIRECTION
Louis Crevier

HELP & SUPPORT
Markus Alanen

SPECIAL THANKS
Nordisk kulturkontakt
Naisasialiitto Unioni
Tjarnarbíó
Sláturhúsið
Nordic House in Reykjavík

The performance is created in collaboration with
Reykjavik Fringe Festival
Nordisk Kulturkontakt
Tjarnarbíó Theatre
Dansverkstæðið
Sláturhúsið Culture House
Nordic House in Reykjavik
Feminist Association Unioni
Teater Viirus and Lyse Nætter festival
Rannís
Reykjavíkurborg
The Icelandic-Finnish Cultural Foundation
Arts Promotion Centre Finland
Finnish Cultural Foundation
From Start To Finnish
Icelandic Embassy in London
Actor's Union Iceland

THEM trailer 2020 by Arnar Hauksson