MERENNEITOJEN MAA

Merenneitojen maa

(eng. The Land of Mermaids)

“What is sin? 

Sin is mild fanaticism

Sensible half-madness

Lukewarm half-restlessness”

Directed and written by Kautto, the performance, bearing the working title Land of Mermaids, is based on the works of poet Zinaida Gippius (1869–1945) and delves into the queer history of 19th-century St. Petersburg’s literary and artistic scene. Combining theater and music, the work is built around gender identity, sexuality, and the building of community and collective space. In her poetry, diaries, and life-performance, Gippius passionately seeks an alternative to gender binary and constructs a queer identity that combines her experiences of her own body and love, her theological thinking, and her resistance to heteropatriarchal norms.

Premier: Spring 2027 at Quo Vadis Underground

Artistic Team:

Director & playwright: Carmen Kautto

Dramaturge: Louna-Tuuli Luukka

Performers: Anna Korolainen Crevier, Minerva Kautto, Benjamin Dequiedt

Lighting designer: Alpi Vaalaja

Costume designer: Marion Duvinage

Production: Collectif Boxon Sentimental & Quo Vadis