Ejaculation Falls is a joint production between the Baltic Circle theatre festival, Espoo City Theatre and SICK! Festival. The performance premiered at the Baltic Circle Festival in Louhi Hall, Espoo Cultural Centre in November 2021 and later in May 2022 at Sick Festival in Manchester.
Ejaculation Falls gathers its audience together to celebrate sexual diversity. In addition to the sexual meaning of the word ‘ejaculation’, this new performance explores the original meaning of the word: a sudden verbal exclamation and a desire to be heard.
What is the role of the soundscape during the performance?
Sarah: I have made the sound design for the performance and written songs for it. In Manchester I will also perform two covers with the performers. The role of the soundscape is to create a space that is ideal for having conversations and for listening to them, to support the topics and stories the performers bring to the stage, and to create a rhythm for the performance that is built around interviews. The musical elements also help to create pauses where the audience can process the topics that have just been covered.
Right from the start it has been clear that we want to give the performers an opportunity to be involved in the making of the musical elements of the performance. Because of the input from the participants on each of the performances, the soundscapes and the structure of the sound design are completely different in Helsinki and in Manchester. I have more or less built the sound design in each case uniquely for that particular group and performance.
I work with the performers throughout the process. I try to get an understanding of the musical background of each individual soon after their selection. This way I can get an idea of who is interested in music and can suggest options for things we could try on the stage. Many of them are eager to participate in that side as well and bring forth suggestions we can try out and possibly incorporate into the show. This approach to the sound design is well aligned with the collective approach we have to working on Ejaculation Falls.
- Interview by Gwen Riley Jones
Baltic Circle Festival Finland (2021)
Sick Festival Manchester (2022)
Direction and dramaturgy: Essi Rossi
Sound design and music: Sarah Kivi
Scenography, light & video: Milla Martikainen
Dramaturgy: Michelle Orenius
Costume design: Liisa Pesonen
Supported by: City of Espoo, Arts Promotion Center Finland, KSR (Kansan Sivistysrahasto)
Autobiographical solo performance about sexuality, based on several recorded audio interviews with women from different countries and cultures premiered at the Finnish National Theatre, the BRUX Freies Theatre in Innsbruck, and was finally brought to the 2019 Edinburgh Fringe where Sarah Kivi and Essi Rossi performed it as a part of the From Start to Finnish showcase.
Director and dramaturgy: Essi Rossi
Music and sound design: Sarah Kivi
Scenography: Essi Rossi
Performer: Essi Rossi 2019
National theatre in Finland (2018)
BRUX Freies Theatre (2018)
Edinburgh Fringe Festival (full run 2019 )
Supported by: Arts Promotion Centre Finland
