A woman stares upwards in distress while sitting down. Behind her a sign says Helena.
Our Productions

13 Sunken Years

11 August 2015 – 29 August 2014, Edinburgh, Paisley, Greenock, Hawick, Helsinki

Presented by Stellar Quines and Lung Ha Theatre Companies, in association with Finnish National Theatre

Set in a remote Finnish town, 13 Sunken Years is the story of three generations of women dealing with loss in their lives one way or another but finding strength from each other and from the landscape that surrounds them.

Three women, three generations, tied together not only by blood but also by the magic of the river that runs through their remote Finnish town. One day Eva’s Mother disappears…

It happened on the day of her school graduation, her mother disappears and her grandmother is diagnosed with dementia. As Eva tries to make sense of her life now that pieces of her world are missing, past memories seem to rise out of the mist on the river.

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This was the UK Premiere of Finnish playwright Paula Salminen’s haunting and poignant play (Originally awarded ‘Best New Play’ in Finland 2012) and was translated and edited for this production by Eva Buchwald.

This production was chosen as part of Made in Scotland 2014, a curated showcase of Scottish performance on the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2014, supported through the Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund. It is a partnership between the Festival Fringe Society, the Federation of Scottish Theatre (FST), the Scottish Music Centre and Creative Scotland.

On 21st and 22nd of May 2015 this production was revived, touring to Finnish National Theatre – Helsinki, Finland. For these two performances the role of Ursula Koskinen was played by Joanna Tope and the role of Eki Kostinen was played by Andy Clark. All other roles were played by the same cast. Jessica Ward was Stage Manager for the tour.

Assembly Rooms Fringe, Edinburgh: 11 – 24 August 2014 (Not 18)

Beacon Arts Centre, Greenock: 26 August 2014

Paisley Arts Centre, Paisley: 27 August 2014

Heart of Hawick, Hawick: 29 August 2014

Finnish National Theatre, Helsinki: 21 – 22 May 2015

13 Sunken Years Production

A man in a grey checked shirt and woollen hat pulling a rope.
13 Sunken Years
A woman with braided hair wearing a white nightdress and holding a newspaper.
13 Sunken Years
A woman with braided hair wearing a white nightdress stares in surprise.
13 Sunken Years
A woman wearing a jacket stares upwards.
13 Sunken Years
A woman wearing white stares upwards.
13 Sunken Years
A woman with braided hair wearing a coat and reading the paper.
13 Sunken Years
A woman with braided hair and a woman in red stare at a third figure lying down on a bench.
13 Sunken Years
Two women speak vehemently. The one on the left is dressed in grey and has blonde hair. The one on the right is dressed in red and has dark hair.
13 Sunken Years
A man in a grey shirt addresses two women.
13 Sunken Years
A woman stares upwards in distress while sitting down. Behind her a sign says Helena.
13 Sunken Years

13 Sunken Years in Rehearsal

Three women wearing only towels sit inside a wooden sauna room.
13 Sunken Years
Two men smartly dressed holding flowers.
13 Sunken Years
Two men and a woman dressed in casual clothes speak among themselves.
13 Sunken Years
A woman in a white shirt and black cap and a man in a grey checked shirt are speaking.
13 Sunken Years
Two women seemingly bored inside a wooden sauna room.
13 Sunken Years
Three women stand around a orange bucket staring quizzically at each other.
13 Sunken Years

Reviews

“…there’s an insistent, pulsing energy in Maria Oller’s production…”

Joyce McMillan – The Scotsman

“Each character is well drawn and an imaginative set, atmospheric lighting and music, complement nimble direction from Maria Oller.”

Ken Wilson – TV Bomb

Cast

Nicola TuxworthEva Koskinen (daughter)

Louise LudgateHelena Koskinen (mother)

Anne LaceyUrsula Koskinen (gran)

Billy MackEki Koistinen (canal lock keeper)

Ben WingerTimppa (local boy)

Stephan TaitEeli (local boy)

Crew

Paula SalminenWriter

Eva BuchwaldTranslator

Maria OllerDirector

Molly InnesAssociate Director

Muriel RomanesArtistic Director

Jan Bee BrownDesigner

Simon WilkinsonLighting Design

Susan AppelbeComposer

Lee DavisProduction Manager

JJ McGregorStage Manager

Naomi StalkerDeputy Stage Manager

Jessica WardDeputy Stage Manager (in rehearsal)

Stephen BourkeTechnical Manager

Project Collaborators & Funders