&Fest: Extended
&Fest: Extended explores themes of democracy and disagreement. Debates, discussions, and artist meet-and-greets are open to everyone and free of charge.
Throughout March 2026, & Espoo Theatre will be in festival mode. &Fest: Learning to Disagree is a theater festival, but the programme includes much more than just theatre performances: there will be plenty of free events open to everyone, such as debates and artist meet-and-greets.
“The festival originated from a need to celebrate democracy and to try to understand the role of art in Finland,” says Jussi Sorjanen, artistic director of &.
“Democracy involves disagreement. &Fest creates a safe space to debate essential issues while respecting each other and without fear of rejection.”
Each festival week begins with a Puheenvuoro, a speech introducing the festival themes. It is an essay in text and video format, published on the & website.
The audience is introduced to the atmosphere of the performances by Kisastudio, where experts discuss the evening's performance. Kisastudio creates the collective excitement familiar from sports around theatre and provides background information on the performance.
The audience will also have the opportunity to meet internationally renowned theater directors: Palestinian Bashar Murkus and Polish-French Anna Smolar, among others, will be attending the artist meetings.
Each festival week will end in a club event on Saturday. The clubs are organized in collaboration with various partners. For example, the Puistokatu 4 project's Tieteen ja toivon klubi, a live recording of Uusi Juttu media's Kerma culture program, and a ballroom dance club led by dance artist Samuli Emery are all on the agenda.
&FEST: Programme
Festival week 1
Thu, March 5
4:00–5:30 p.m. Opening ceremony and Puheenvuoro: After consensus – why does a polarized society need theatre? (Kupla)
5:45–6:15 p.m. Kisastudio (Cultural Centre lobby)
6:30–9:10 p.m. Performance: The Employees (&Louhi)
9:15–11:00 p.m. Festival opening night (Kupla)
Fri, March 6
5:00–6:00 p.m. Debate: I didn't understand any of this. Is it okay for art to be difficult? Can the audience be wrong? (Kupla)
6:30–9:10 p.m. Performance: The Employees (&Louhi)
9:20–9:50 Meet the artist: Łukasz Twarkowski (Kupla)
Sat, March 7
2:00–4:40 p.m. Performance: The Employees (&Louhi)
5:30–6:30 p.m. Club: Uusi Juttu: Kerma live recording (Bar Juoru)
6:30–7:30 p.m. Club: I liked the performance – I didn't like the performance (Bar Juoru)
8:00 p.m.–12:00 a.m. Festival club (Bar Juoru)
Festival week 2
Tue, March 10
12:00 p.m. Puheenvuoro: Hunger for love – does fear of social rejection prevent us from talking? (Online)
6:00–6:30 p.m. Performance: The Gummy Bears’ Great War (Kuiskaamo)
7:00–7:30 p.m. Performance: The Gummy Bears’ Great War (Kuiskaamo)
8:00–8:30 p.m. Performance: The Gummy Bears’ Great War (Kuiskaamo)
Wed, March 11
5:15–5:45 p.m. Kisastudio (&Revontuli lobby)
6:00–6:30 p.m. Performance: The Gummy Bears’ Great War (Kuiskaamo)
7:00–7:30 p.m. Performance: The Gummy Bears’ Great War (Kuiskaamo)
8:00–8:30 p.m. Performance: The Gummy Bears’ Great War (Kuiskaamo)
Thu, March 12
5:45–6:15 p.m. Kisastudio (Cultural Center lobby)
6:30–8:30 p.m. Performance: The Birds (&Louhi)
8:45–9:30 p.m. Meet the artist: Anna Smolar (Kupla)
Fri, March 13
5:00–6:00 p.m. Debate: Fire them. Should all artists' current employment contracts be terminated? (Kupla)
6:30–8:30 p.m. Performance: The Birds (&Louhi)
Sat, March 14
2:00–4:00 p.m. Performance: The Birds (&Louhi)
7:00 p.m.–12:00 a.m. Club: Ballroom (Bar Juoru)
Festival week 3
Wed, March 18
12:00 p.m. Puheenvuoro: I hate it, but I defend it – yes, with my tax money (Online)
5:30–6:00 p.m. Competition studio (Dance House Helsinki lobby)
6:30–9:00 p.m. Performance: Cadela Força Trilogy, Part I: The Bride & The Goodnight Cinderella (Dance House Helsinki)
21:00–22:00 Quiet space: opportunity to stay at the Cable Factory's Kahvibaari for an hour after the performance (Cable Factory's Kahvibaari)
Thu 19.3.
17:45–18:15 Kisastudio (Bar Juoru)
6:30–7:45 p.m. Performance: Yes Daddy (&Revontuli)
8:00–8:45 p.m. Meet the artists: Bashar Murkus and Khulood Basel (Bar Juoru)
Fri, March 20
5:00–6:00 p.m. Debate: Two stars. Is criticism meant to serve the audience or the artist's soul? (Kupla)
6:30–7:45 p.m. Performance: Yes Daddy (&Revontuli)
Sat, March 21
2:00–3:15 p.m. Performance: Yes Daddy (&Revontuli)
4:00–5:30 p.m. Club: Puistokatu 4 – Tieteen ja toivon klubi (Bar Juoru)
5:30–7:00 p.m. The bar is open (Bar Juoru)
4th festival week
Wed, March 25
12:00 p.m. Puheenvuoro: Carnival of resistance – why does activism mainly cause anxiety, irritation, and melancholy? (Online)
5:45–6:15 p.m. Kisastudio (Cultural Center lobby)
6:30–7:45 p.m. Performance: Zona Franca (&Louhi)
Thu, March 26
5:00–6:00 p.m. Debate: Stop virtue signaling. Should theatre get involved in politics? (Kupla)
6:30–7:45 p.m. Performance: Zona Franca (&Louhi)
Fri, March 27
6:30–7:45 p.m. Performance: Zona Franca (&Louhi)
8:15–9:15 p.m. Club: I was wrong – open mic (Kupla)
9:15–11:00 p.m. The bar is open (Kupla)
Sat, March 28
12:15–12:45 p.m. Kisastudio (Bar Juoru)
1:00–8:30 p.m. Performance: asses.masses (&Revontuli)
Sun, March 29
1:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m. Performance: asses.masses (&Revontuli)
Venues:
&Revontuli/Bar Juoru/Kuiskaamo, Revontulentie 8A, Tapiola
&Louhi, Espoo Cultural Center, Tapiola
Kulttuuritila Kupla, Kauppamiehentie 7 (next to Espoo Cultural Center), Tapiola
Dance House Helsinki/Cable Factory's Kahvibaari: Cable Factory, Kaapeliaukio 3, Helsinki
Guest speakers will be announced later. The program is subject to change.
