Arakhne is an Epic Weaving Bout

The world premiere of Sinna Virtanen’s Arakhne will take place at & Espoo Theatre on September 4, 2025. At the heart of the performance is the myth of the origin of the spider. According to the myth, the goddess of craftsmanship, Pallas Athena, challenged a mere mortal, Arachne, to a weaving contest. Arachne was a weaving virtuoso and, to her misfortune, won the competition. As punishment, she lost her life. In the end, Pallas Athena brought her back to life – as the world's first spider.

"I have always been fascinated by myths and why we keep them alive by telling them over and over again," says the play’s director and playwright, Sinna Virtanen.

"I came across the myth of Arachne by chance. I was immediately captivated by it and started imagining a work built around it. Arachne is not a very well-known myth, but it contains many intriguing elements: for instance, the transformation from human to spider and the themes of envy and shame that emerge from the myth."

Arakhne features brilliant actors from three different generations: Leena Uotila, Seidi Haarla, and Karim Rapatti. They transform into archetypal characters inspired by professional wrestling. Predetermined, mythical storylines unfold in the arena, following an age-old script. On stage, they battle over everything: victory, defeat, the love of the audience, the most tragic story. Who has the most heartfelt anecdotes, the rawest emotions, the deepest scars, and the most endearing expressions?

Since weaving is also at the heart of the original Arachne, Virtanen knew from the start that a textile artist had to be part of the creative team. She invited Johanna Ulfsak, whose work she had admired at an exhibition at the Espoo Museum of Modern Art (EMMA). Ulfsak has designed the costumes and choreographed the act of weaving, which the actors perform live – on stage, they are truly weaving, not just pretending to.

& Espoo Theatre’s artistic director, Jussi Sorjanen, portrays Sinna Virtanen as one of Finland’s most distinctive artists.
"She has a unique ability to combine elements that wouldn’t normally belong together. In Arakhne, those elements are professional wrestling, weaving—and spiders! The audience can expect a humorous, intelligent, and moving spectacle where nothing is predictable. Watching Sinna’s performances, I often find myself emotionally charged, even if I can’t quite pinpoint where or why a sudden burst of laughter or a lump in my throat comes from."

Arakhne. Premiere at &Revontuli on the 4th of September, 2025.

Working group:
Director and play: Sinna Virtanen
Costume design and weaving: Johanna Ulfsak
Set design, lights, video and props: Erno Aaltonen
Sound design: Tatu Nenonen
Makeup: Riikka Virtanen
On stage: Seidi Haarla, Karim Rapatti, Leena Uotila

Photos: Lina Jelanski