RASMUS SLÄTIS

What will be left when even Satan is dead?
– This affective mess we’re living in!

The ‘post-satanic situation’ refers to a time when affects hostile to individuals and coexistence can no longer be symbolised, meaning they cannot be associated with recognisable figures. In this time, we have become demons to ourselves and each other, and demonising the opponent has become part of everyday political discourse and social media.

But why do art and popular culture also return to demonic imagery? If we don’t believe in personal evil, why do we need the figure of Evil that intertwines nostalgia with emancipation? Would it be possible to establish a more sustainable and communal relationship with the more-than-human forces raging between and around us? How can this be achieved through dance?

The performance begins with three dancers, an actor, and a harpist finding themselves in the situation described above. This is followed by a series of choreographic events in which the invisible affective space and the possibilities arising from it emerge in various ways. A perspective of hope unfolds in the surrounding universe of death.

The performance is part of Esa Kirkkopelto’s artistic research on the performing body in a posthumanist situation.

With Leila Kourkia, Leena Nordberg, Elina Pirinen, Rasmus Slätis, Katri Tikka
Sound and light design: Mikko Hynninen
Costumes: Jouko Korkeasaari
Video: Sinem Kayacan

Production: Inari Pesonen, Zodiak centre for new dance, O linjär

Premiere at Zodiak centre for new dance, Helsinki, spring 2024

A study in breathlessness and an attempt to incarnate a body liberated from it.

A fathers death, a last breath.

A stream of air carries on through the trombone; the wind blows wherever it pleases. Valves regulate the flood of liquids, gasses and fumes. The valves get sealed, pressure builds up.

Guided by the psychopomp Hermes, the protagonist of the performance embarks on a journey with the objective to break the seal.

Gräns/Hermes dives into personal loss, cultural markers, breath and spirit, in a frame of history of ideas.

The creative process of Gräns/Hermes leaks out and is leaked into through a written exchange between Slätis and dancer/choreographer Karolina Ginman, whose parallel solo work Fluvial premiered at Zodiak centre for new dance in March of 2022.

Gräns / Hermes premiered at Viirus Guest, autumn 2022. The finnish version, Raja / Hermes, premiered at Teatteri Takomo in november 2023.

By Rasmus Slätis, Karolina Ginman, Fabian Nyberg and Joonas Leppänen.
Finnish translation: Sinna Virtanen
Technicians: Juri Jänis, Rasmus Strandell

Production: Nya Rampen, Inspirera Konspirera rf.

Review by Maria Säkö in Helsingin Sanomat (30.11.2023)
https://www.hs.fi/kulttuuri/art-2000010003331.html

The renowned novel series by Elena Ferrante got it’s Finland premiere at Helsinki City Theatres Swedish venue Lilla Teatern in Helsinki in September 2022.
In the performance, Rasmus played the characters Rino Cerullo, Marcello Solara and Pietro Airota.

With: Lumi Aunio, Pia Andersson, Pia Runnakko, Sanna Majuri, Peter Kanerva, Cecilia Paul, Joachim Wigelius, Alexander Wendelin, Ursula Salo, Rasmus Slätis.

Director: Riikka Oksanen

Über Wunden was a piece about the visible and invisible ghosts that haunt us in our everyday lives.

With Simone Gisler, Marius Kob, Mira Rojzman, Rasmus Slätis, Thomas Jeker.
Directed by Yanna Rüger and Nele Jahnke. 


Production: Infinite Cooperation

Premiere at Rote Fabric in Zürich in March 2022. 


Weltoffen was a tripartite initiative encouraging international collaboration and co-producing within contemporary performing arts, intended for theatre students from The Theatre Academy in Helsinki and Ernst Busch Hochschule für Schauspielkunst, Berlin.  
The initiative was developed, produced and facilitated by Rasmus Slätis in close collaboration with Hangö Teaterträff Theatre Festival, The Theatre Academy in Helsinki, Ernst Busch Hochschule für Schauspielkunst and Finnland Institut Berlin. Visiting pedagogues were Sonya Lindfors (FI), Aune Kallinen (FI), Cris af Enehielm (FI), Juli Reinartz (DE), Santiago Blaum (ARG), Euripides Laskaridis (GR), Angela Schubot (DE), Jared Gradinger (US)

Svall by Johanna-Yasirra Kluhs and Rasmus Slätis

Based on Heimkehr des Odysseus (Strändernas Svall) by Eyvind Johnsson.
Premiere and performances at Ballhaus Ost, Berlin, autumn 2018.

Production: Nya Rampen
With and by: Rasmus Slätis, Johanna-Yasirra Kluhs, Arno Waschk and Fabian Eichner.

Actrice by Pascal Rambert.

Premiere at Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord, Paris, 2017. Tour at city theatres in France during the spring of 2018.

With Marina Hands pensionnaire at la Comédie-Française, Audrey Bonnet, Ruth Nüesch, Emmanuel Cuchet, Jakob Öhrman, Elmer Bäck, Yuming Hey, Luc Bataïni, Jean Guizerix, Rasmus Slätis, Sifan Shao or Helene Thil, Laetitia Somé, Lyna Khoudri, and alternately Anas Abidar, Nathan Aznar or Samuel Kircher.

Wir sind die Guten - Osternmysterien, by Markus Öhrn. Volksbühne am Rosa Luxemburg-Platz, Berlin.

With Janet Rothe, Makode Linde, Jakob Öhrman, Rasmus Slätis, Markus Öhrn and surprise guests.

https://volksbuehne.adk.de/praxis/wir_sind_die_guten_/index.html

Exit Ayahuasca by Przemek Zybowski. Director: Tobias Yves Zintel
With Johannes Suhm, Tamara Saphir, Steve LeMercier, Rasmus Slätis
Ballhaus Ost, Berlin, 2016

A co-production between the Swedish theatre group Institutet and Südpol Luzern. 

The creative team behind the show consisted of musician Andreas Catjar, choreographer Andriana Seecker, dramaturg Johanna-Yasirra Kluhs and actor/director Rasmus Slätis.

The performance was presented at Südpol Luzern (CH), Inkonst Malmö (SE) and Får302 in Copenhagen (DK).   

An advent calendar by Markus Öhrn, with performances daily at the Volksbühne in Berlin 1.12-24.12.2015.

With Janet Rothe, Makode Linde, Jakob Öhrman, Rasmus Slätis, Markus Öhrn and surprise guests.

https://volksbuehne.adk.de/praxis/wir_sind_die_guten/

Alongside his colleagues from Nya Rampen - Elmer Bäck (Sergei Eisenstein) and Jakob Öhrman (Eduard Tisse) - Rasmus Slätis is part of the Peter Greenaway feature film "Eisenstein in Guanajuato".

Rasmus Slätis plays the role of Grisha Alexandrov.

"Eisenstein in Guanajuato" was selected to the competition at the Berlinale 2015.

Bis zum Tod is the third and final part of the family trilogy by Markus Öhrn (SWE), Institutet (SWE) and Nya Rampen(FIN).

Bis zum Tod premiered at the Theater der Welt festival in Mannheim, Germany, 2014.

Directed by Markus Öhrn, Allegorie des Glücks was a voyage into family rituals and black metal. Allegorie des Glücks was produced by Theater Neumarkt and Nya Rampen and premiered the 30th of January 2014.

Memento Mori by Pascal Rambert and Yves Godin for Théâtre de Gennevilliers, Paris. The show premiered at Les Hivernales in Avignon 2013. 

Rasmus Slätis performs in Memento Mori alongside his colleagues from Nya Rampen and Institutet.

The show is on tour and has been performed on festivals in Europe and Russia.

The second part of the family trilogy by Markus Öhrn / Institutet / Nya Rampen.

We love Africa and Africa loves us premiered at the Foreign Affairs-festival which was part of Berliner Festspiele, autumn 2012.

With Elmer Bäck, Anders Carlsson, Andreas Catjar, Rasmus Slätis, Jakob Öhrman.

Worship! By Jakob Öhrman premiered at Baltic Circle International Theatre Festival in 2011, after which it took part of Nordwind Festival at Volksbühne am Rosa Luxemburg Platz and at Kampnagel in Hamburg. The play was based on selected works by William Shakespeare.

With Elmer Bäck, Cris af Enehielm, Marcus Groth, Joonas Heikkinen, Iida Kuningas, Rasmus Slätis and Sara-Marie Soulie.

Music and sound design: Andreas Catjar
Light design: Jens Leeb-Lundberg
Set Design: Lars Idman

Production: Nya Rampen, Baltic Circle Festival, Nordwind Festival

The first part of the family trilogy by Markus Öhrn / Institutet / Nya Rampen.

Conte d’Amour won the first price at the Impulse Festival 2011. Conte d’Amour was presented at Festival d’Avignon (2012), Berliner Theatertreffen (2012), Wiener Festwochen (2012), Festival Transamériques (2013), World Stage Toronto (2014) among other festivals and visiting performances.

With Elmer Bäck, Anders Carlsson, Rasmus Slätis, Jakob Öhrman
Sound design: Andreas Catjar
Director and set design: Markus Öhrn

Production: Nya Rampen and Institutet