Culture.ee's weekly recommendations: Sept. 4-10
A selection of cultural events taking place in Estonia this week as curated by culture.ee: "This week we recommend a whole lot of interesting things, including a literature festival that can be enjoyed even if you don't speak Estonian, and Tallinn Photomonth, which doesn't require you to be from Tallinn or enjoy traditional kinds of photography."
Ongoing - Sunday, Oct. 29
Tallinn Photomonth '17
Tallinn Art Hall
International contemporary art biennial Tallinn Photomonth '17 will introduce its program by international and Estonian artists alike in various art venues in Tallinn and Narva. Tallinn Photomonth kicks off on Sept. 1 with the group exhibition Image Drain, curated by Anthea Buys, at Tallinn Art Hall and the Museum of Photography.
Tuesday, Sept. 5 - Sunday, Sept. 10
Complete Works: Tabletop Shakespeare
Kanuti Gildi SAAL, Tallinn
One by one, over six days, Forced Entertainment performers will condense every Shakespeare play ever written into a series of 36 intimate and lovingly made miniatures, played out on a one-meter tabletop using a collection of unextraordinary everyday objects. Forced Entertainment has long had an obsession with virtual or described performance, exploring in different ways over the years the possibilities of conjuring extraordinary scenes, images and narratives using language alone. In a brand new direction for the company, Complete Works explores the dynamic force of narrative in a simple and idiosyncratic summary of Shakespeare's comedies, tragedies, histories and late plays, creating worlds as vivid as they are strange.
Tuesday, Sept. 5 - Thursday, Sept. 28
Photo exhibition: Louisa Marie Summer, "Border Walks"
Pärnu Central Library
In fall 2016, Louisa Marie Summer visited Estonia from Germany to explore the idea of local borders, both in Tallinn and Narva. Through her photographs, the artist captures, in her own artistic perspective, these traces that remain in urban daily life. At the core of the European project has always been an effort to reduce the significance of borders — international boundaries as well as educational, economic and social borders.
Wednesday. Sept. 6 / Thursday, Sept. 7
English Comedy Night: Brendon Burns & Craig Quartermaine
Athena Center, Tartu / Von Krahl Theatre, Tallinn
September's stand-up show, "Race Off," was one of the top events at the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, featuring Australian comedians Brendon Burns and Craig Quartermaine. Burns is no stranger to Estonia; he has visited the country three times and was actually on an episode of the game show "Kodumäng," where he managed to piss off Indrek Vaheoja and won a toaster for his efforts. Burns is fast and intense, has been performing around the world for 27 years and has won best comedian at Edinburgh Fringe Festival; he is also white. Quartermaine is an Australian Raw Comedy finalist and journalist who once worked as a chef's apprentice. Since entering Raw Comedy in 2016 (the major newcomer award in Australia), this "charming ball of rage" has gone from strength to strength; he is also Aboriginal Australian.
Saturday, Sept. 9
Literary Street Festival
A. H. Tammsaare Museum, Tallinn
Almost all literary institutions come to visit the Literary Street Festival. The festival's open tents feature programs specially created for the festival, and participants will include Viivi Luik, Tõnu Õnnepalu, Kristiina Ehin, Karl Martin Sinijärv, Indrek Koff and Doris Kareva, among others. Festivalgoers can participate in a quiz and new book presentations as well as listen to cultural and literary discussions. There will also be literary walks, book sales and intriguing exhibitions, as well as exciting activities for children throughout the day.
Tartu Street Food Festival
The Widget Factory, Tartu
Telliskivi Creative City, Tallinn Street Food Festival, and the Widget Factory present: Tartu Street Food Festival. The biggest and most popular street food event in Estonia will bring the widest selection of street food to Tartu, featuring Widget Factory cafés, food trucks, pop-up restaurants and alternative chefs.
Kuressaare Street Picnic
Kuressaare, Saaremaa
It only happens once per year that Kuressaare's Lossi Street is filled with picnic tables, crowds enjoying their food and drinks and dancing to music. The street's cafés are ready to help and serve anyone who doesn't have their own picnic supplies along.
Sunday, Sept. 10 / Monday, Sept. 11
Arvo Pärt Days 2017: Tintinnabuli
Tartu St. Paul's Church / Tallinn St. John's Church
British vocal ensemble The Tallis Scholars first became famous as performers of Renaissance music, praised for their unique and pure sound quality. They recorded the album "Tintinnabuli" (Gimell) for Arvo Pärt's 80th anniversary, earning many accolades and being rated among the top ten recordings of Pärt's by well-known music magazine Gramophone. The twin concerts in Tartu and Tallinn are joyous occasions for Nargenfestival audiences to be able to listen to Pärt's musical works from the album.
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This post originally appeared on the Culture critics' blog at culture.ee.
Editor: Aili Vahtla