Working group:
Actor: Anna Kankila

Premiere:
2016, Recover Laboratory Labyrinth, Viikinmäki Wastewater Treatment Plant, Helsinki, Finland

Actor Anna Kankila’s surreal character meets the passer-by with gentleness, but at the same time challenges them with a mischievous manner. The versatile character has been seen in several of Recover Laboratory’s productions and events since 2016. The character recites poems, hosts events, shakes hands, leads groups of people, washes hands, and delivers love letters, adapting to any situation and occasion.

Below are the descriptions of the poetry and hand-washing performances.

Poetry:
The Poem Oracle encounters and engages in flowing conversations with passers-by. The Oracle has an extensive, lovingly collected collection of poems. After each conversation, the character recites a poem that they think fits the situation. The poems reflect the current surroundings, strangeness of life, and a strong, rootless longing to belong to something. This touching poetry performance has been a much-loved encounter among the participants. The Poem Oracle is often associated with the Nocturnal Snack Bar.

Amor:
Amor is a striking and approachable character. Mischievous, surprising and perceptive, Amor gets on well with ordinary mortals, and their deepest desire and most humble mission is to build connections between humans. Through Amor, festival-goers can send each other small messages by letter: acknowledgements, thanks, invitations – anonymously or under their own name. Amor has been seen before at the 10th anniversary of Recover Laboratory, where they spread a lot of joy and happiness, made new contacts and even organised first dates… ;)

Handwashing:
A person carrying a washcloth, soap and a nailbrush walks around the festival-area ,wearing an outfit made of hand towels. They ask a passerby, “can I wash your hands?”, leading them into a cleansing, two-way encounter. The performance can be combined with the collection of voice messages, making it more intimate and personal. The performance is well suited for festivals and events, for example.