Play database

The play premiered in 2002 at the Estonian Drama Theatre and remained in the repertoire for nearly two decades, becoming one of the
most popular plays in the country’s modern theatre history. In 2021, the film Estonian Funeral was released, based on the play (directed by René Vilbre, Taska Film).
Estonian Funeral is a story about an Estonian family and their home farm. Nowadays, the funerals are almost the only events where all the relatives meet, share common memories and discover old passions coming alive. Particularly when the wake starts turning into a wedding!
It’s a funeral of Andres – a 100-year-old farm keeper. His children, friends and even some strangers have gathered at the farm for the funeral feast.
The questions arising are obvious – after his death, who will chop the firewood, pick the potatoes and apples; who will make the jam from the berries that grow in the garden? Can it be left undone? Can you take a break from the hard work that you and your forebears have done for centuries? Why is work for us like the rock was for Sisyphus? And what will happen when elders can’t and the young won’t, but the work needs to be done?
Kivirähk is picturing very accurately and ironically the image of Estonians as an endlessly working and very economical nationality. The author lets us laugh about the same things, whether it would be working until your last breath on the farm or in a city company, or being stuck in the show business.