by 
“Please don’t cook fish or smoke in the laundry room, thank you.”
Combining contemporary dance, aerial acrobatics, and physical comedy, Neighbour takes a peek into the parallel lives of people living in an apartment building. The performance brings to the viewer’s doorstep a recognizable and delightful neighborhood and its lovable and tiresome residents. Through encounters between neighbors, painful perspectives on broader social issues of our time, such as hierarchies, changes in solidarity, and belonging, are revealed.
The themes of the work are based on research on neighborhoods and suburbs, and the material used consists of real notes left on apartment building bulletin boards. The neighbors seek opportunities for empathy and the limits of tolerance as rules are formed—as well as those moments when the absurdities of everyday life become the norm. In the work, the absurd situations of everyday life charmingly blur the boundaries between black humor and poetic expression.
The Neighbour reveals the ridiculous, painful, and beautiful core of living in the same building — where rule boards and life collide.
A performance for everyone who has ever had a neighbour.
Direction, choreography Ninni Perko
Choreographer’s assistant Jenni Kallo
Performers Inga Björn, Jukka Tarvainen, Saku Mäkelä, Krista-Julia Arppo
Music Jarmo Saari
Music mixing Paavo Malmberg
Visualization Mirkka Nyrhinen
Lighting design Jaakko Sirainen
Experts Pekka Tuominen, Saara Moisio
Dramaturgical support Riikka Laakso
Promo photos Tanja Ahola
Teaser Darina Rodionova
Producers Juliane Mikkonen, Sari Lakso
Production Sivuun Ensemble ry, Kallo Collective
Residencies Cirko – Center for New Circus
Supporters: Arts Promotion Centre Finland, City of Helsinki, Finnish Cultural Foundation, Kone Foundation, Töölön kaupunginosat – Töölö ry, Hietsun Paviljonki.
Premiere at Cirko – Center for New Circus on Oct24th 2025.
The work is a collaboration between Dance Theater Sivuun Ensemble and contemporary circus group Kallo Collective.
Sivuun Ensemble is a Helsinki-based dance theatre founded in 2011, whose performances are characterized by a strong dialogue between different art forms. The group’s artistic director is the award-winning Helsinki-based choreographer and director Ninni Perko. Works created in close collaboration with researchers have been performed in the repertoires of, among others, the National Theatre, & Espoo Theatre, Zodiak – Center for New Circus and the Kuopio Tanssii ja Soi Festival. Perko has been awarded the City of Helsinki’s Artist of the Year.
Kallo Collective is an internationally awarded contemporary circus group specializing in physical theatre and clowning. The group’s high-quality, non-verbal performances aimed at audiences of all ages have captivated audiences around the world. Kallo Collective was founded in 2009 by Finns Jenni Kallo and Sampo Kurppa and New Zealander Thomas Monckton.
Read more: Sivuun Ensemble (in Finnish) Kallo Collective
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Performances
wed 28.1. at 10:30 & 13:30
thu 29.1. at 10:30 & 13:30
fri 30.1. at 10:30 & 13:30
sat 31.1. at 19
sun 1.2. at 13
Venue
Cultural Centre Valve, Valvehall
Hallituskatu 7
Tickets
Normal 28€
Retired 22€
Students, unemployed, kids under 16 years, military and civil service conscript 17€
Theatre and dance workers 17€
Limited amount of Kaikukortti tickets are available for Flow Circus shows.
Prices include handling fees. No handling fees at Valve Ticket Office.
Ticket sales
Valve Ticket Office, Hallituskatu 7
Ticketmaster.fi
Age recommendation
Adults and youth 12+
Duration
70 min, no intermission
Accessibility
Valve is accessible without barriers through the Hallituskatu-side entrance; the automatic doors open with a sensor. The ticket office is located in the lobby; the ticket counter is high, with an induction loop available. The accessible restroom is located in the basement. There is barrier-free access to the Valve hall, which also has an induction loop.
More information is available on the Cultural Centre Valve website kulttuurivalve.fi. The organizer reserves the right to make changes.
Non-verbal performance. Theatrical smoke is used in the performance.
