Chekhov Machine: SVÄLT – A tribute to the obsession of an artist
Apr 25, 2025 | 6:00 pm
Klaneettitie 5, 00420 Helsinki
A young writer, tormented by hunger, wanders the streets of Oslo in search of his artistic breakthrough.
His desperate attempts to survive and his irrational actions push him further from his goal. In his miserable state, he becomes obsessed with his self-image, which he examines as if it were a decaying part of nature. This performance captures the tragicomic artistic obsession portrayed in Knut Hamsun’s novel Hunger (1890). Hamsun was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1920, and Hunger is considered a groundbreaking modern classic that has influenced Western literature.
The performing arts collective Chekhov Machine presents a unique cavalcade of suggestive imagery and wild physical theatre. The performance follows the logic of dreams, where the stage itself becomes a breathing entity, underscored by sound design that runs throughout the piece.
Script and director: Cris af Enehielm
On stage: Jon Henriksen, Sue Lemström, Jonna Eiskonen, Antti Seppänen, Carl Lindgren,
Jonna Nyman and Bror Österlund
Musician: Martin Ormin
Sound design: Sebastian Kurtén
Language: Swedish
Running time: 2 hours 50 min including intermission
