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+

PRODUCER

Nanna Gunnars & Spindrift Theatre

DIRECTOR & CHOREOGRAPHER

Unnur Elísabet Gunnarsdóttir

DRAMATURGE

Audur 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, Actors’ 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