The House of the Known Unknowns

On September 2nd, 2024 the Estonian Theatre Agency will open a centre for Estonian dramaturgy at the Tartu German Culture Institute, called the House of Known Unknowns (Äratundmishetkede Maja in Estonian). The centre will operate during the Draama Festival and will remain open until September 7th, 2024.

The House of Known Unknowns allows audiences – both local and foreign – to get to know Estonian drama in depth. An interactive exhibition, created in collaboration between the Estonian Theatre Agency and artist Illimar Vihmar, will be open for the whole week, reflecting the journey of becoming an author and seeking, among other things, the answer to the eternal question of where inspiration comes from. In addition to the exhibits, there is a pop-up library where you can borrow plays from the Tartu City Library’s collection.

The second half of the week, on September 5th and 6th, will see a unique play-reading marathon in the House of Known Unknowns. During the marathon, which will run from morning till evening, actors will read out excerpts from 30 Estonian plays. The marathon will be divided into 10 blocks, each of which will include three plays from a different era, offering an opportunity to discover new connections between the texts and narratives running through Estonian theatre history. The plays have been selected and grouped by dramaturgs Anne-Ly Sova (Endla Teater) and Sven Karja (Teater Vanemuine), and the readings will be directed by eight well-known Estonian theatre artists as well as two foreign performers.