The Journey of the Phoenix in the Åland Islands

“I forgot to breathe and time disappeared …” said a critic in the Åland Islands about The Journey of the Phoenix after our performance in the main hall of the brand-new cultural centre in October. The audience response was tremendous; among those present were Kristín Árnadóttir, Iceland’s Ambassador to Finland, and her staff. Nils-Erik Eklund, Iceland’s Consul in the Åland Islands, also attended and honoured us with a reception after the performance, together with his wife Berit and Åland’s Minister for the Environment.

“The art forms flowed together as each artist worked their magic, creating a unique spell and a magnificent whole. Both Reijo Kela and María Ellingsen have a strong, compelling presence and perform with precision. Their partly improvised interplay was perfectly attuned, and without saying a single word they created two believable characters, people of flesh and blood. The visual design was simple and stylish but all the more considered and powerful for it. The set consisted of the labyrinth, the smoke and two chairs – and the performers’ bodies, dressed in brilliantly shaped costumes that became moving sculptures in play with the changing colours of the light. Eivør Pálsdóttir’s voice was mesmerising; I forgot to breathe and time disappeared … and the only flaw was that it came to an end.” – Nya Åland