Reetta Honkakoski Company Presents THE DESK

Making use of director Reetta Honkakoski's personal experience of cults, this absorbing ensemble piece examines the seductive grip of dictatorship. Propelled forward by the energy and movement of a highly talented, international ensemble, The Desk sees six performers recreate the rigorous power structures underpinning dogmatic organisations through tersely performed physical theatre. The show focuses on five students at five desks, and one teacher who presides over them, to look at universal mechanisms used to indoctrinate, dominate and subdue.

Reetta Honkakoski spent several years in a cult whilst living in the UK, attracted by a charismatic leader who promised a better version of the world and of herself. Afterwards, upon realising that what she had experienced was a cult, her research into the topic revealed common methods of asserting and maintaining control which are present regardless of the cult's underpinning ideals.

Director Reetta Honkakoski said, "As is probably quite usual, I didn't realise it was a cult at the time. Only looking back I slowly started to make sense of my experiencing and witnessing years of fear, manipulation, intimidation, gaslighting, abuse of power, sexual harassment, thought policing, etc and it all started to sink in. As I started to research spiritual and political cults for the show, I was fascinated to find the exact same mechanics everywhere. The same power dynamics, group behaviours and hierarchies. Different words perhaps, different truths, different gods, but somehow the exact same systems. Different in the extent of terror and destruction but all coming from the same root.

"The time in the cult broke me and it has taken me a long time to heal from the experience. Making this show was one of the ways to process and understand what had happened."

Honkakoski is an artistic director whose work is rooted in Corporeal Mime. She works in close collaboration with sound designer Tuuli Kyttälä and lighting designer Saija Nojonen. Honkakoski Company's previous work includes Täällä / Here, an ambitious piece performed by professional and non-professionals that looked at human connections. The Desk will mark the company's debut at the Edinburgh Fringe.

From Start to Finnish is an annual showcase presented at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe that represents the best in Finnish performing arts. Now in its ninth year, From Start to Finnish 2019 will also feature a further four shows: Shine at Zoo Southside, Honey at Zoo Playground 1, and Ali and Alpo and Ejaculation - Discussions About Female Sexuality at Summerhall. Last year, From Start to Finnish productions included the Total Theatre Award winning Cock, Cock... Who's There?, and previous shows have received critical acclaim in Edinburgh and toured to China, America and several countries in Europe.

Running Time: 60 mins | Suitable for ages 8+

reettahonkakoski.com | starttofinnish.fi

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