Naks festival brings wordless theatre and Samoan dance to Narva

Narva’s Naks festival for young audiences has opened with performances and workshops by Estonian and international artists, ERR reported. Tuesday’s programme featured absurdist theatre and a workshop in Samoan dance steps.

The Finnish-Czech theatre company Krepsko brought a miniature world called Fabsurdia to the festival. The performers invited audiences to decide what the name might mean: perhaps a book or a ship, or simply something silly and absurd.

Actor Linnea Happonen said the company has performed wordless theatre for 20 to 30 years because it is not tied to a particular language or nationality. After performing in 30 countries, she said, the group has found that audiences react in much the same way everywhere, while the absence of words allows people to interpret the show for themselves.

Le Moana, a company from New Zealand, is among the festival’s international guests. After performances in Germany and Spain, the group stopped in Narva. Its dance performance is scheduled for Wednesday; on Tuesday, the artists taught local participants Samoan dance steps to contemporary music.

Choreographer Tupua Tigafua said the work is not haka but a contemporary piece reflecting the group’s identity. The performers grew up in urban settings, while their parents came from Pacific islands, he said. The work explores who they are today and how they can coexist with tradition.

Naks runs in Narva until Saturday, with educational programmes and play readings as well as performances.