kinoteater is an award-winning (it’s mostly nominations actually) independent Estonian theatre company (i mean have won some things) that was founded in 2011 (is the parenthetical voice bothering you?)
we started out by pioneering Estonian stand-up (another group claims they were the first), then moved on to jérôme bel-styled theatre documentaries involving magicians, teachers… septic tank cleaners (at this point a change of direction was deemed necessary).
we are now known for large-scale theatrical experiments. such as playing romeo and juliet with industrial vehicles in an abandoned quarry (cue the motorettis and the carburettis). putting someone who has never been to the theatre through the trial of watching 224 estonian theatre productions in one year (kind of cultural morgan spurlock if you will). or getting censored from national television for a monologue criticising their autocratic leadership (which kind of proved the point).
we’re actually a really small company (no house, no paid troupe) but we make a point of cooperating with artists and venues that we admire (or share a similar sense of ironic detachment and periodic dissociation from the world). while several of our long-term compatriots could also be mentioned here our core group really kind of just boils down to:
Paavo Piik
- tries to make playwriting cool again (sometimes also film and tv), has translated Crimp and Mayenburg, often co-directs with
Henrik Kalmet
- who definitely makes acting look cool, also a director, writer and stand-up artist who often works with
Paul Piik
- who has somehow turned joke-writing into a profession, an aspiring theatre scribe, and renowned producer who often leans on
Liine Jänes
- our volunteer marketing specialist who has a knack for promoting Estonian theatre and film, the receipts for which then go to
Alari Rammo
- our book-keeper, legal adivsor, guardian and converter of lost spirits