Circus artist Hanna Moisala is part of the circus group Lumo Company and works in both Finland and the UK. Moisala was granted TelepART Mobility Support in 2018 to perform Lumo Company’s new show Lola at Jacksons Lane theatre in London.

Moisala and circus artist Milla Kurronen have also been granted TelepART-funding in 2019 for performing their show Vagabond at The Magnificent Spiegeltent in Nottingham.

Could you tell us more about the show?

Lola was Lumo Company’s second full-length performance. The working consisted of six people. On stage were two performers, me and Angeliki Nikolakaki. Lola is about loss of memories and the different aspects related to dementia based on our own experiences. Both Angeliki and I have grandparents that suffer from dementia.

Has Lola been important for your career?

The theme of the show was a close subject to both of us, so the show felt very personal. I cannot say that one show is more important than another, however, on the whole Lola played an important role in my career.

How did the Lola performances go?

They went really well. We had two shows at Jackson Lane and we had the chance to be at a residence one week before the show so we were able to prepare the final details and practice on the stage where we performed.

What was the role of TelepART funding in the project?

The funding was very important because it made the show happen. The TelepART funding allowed us all to travel and transport all equipment between Finland and the UK. The travel expenses were a big part of the budget. Without the support we would have made a loss and may not have been able to perform at all.

Usually, theatres and venues do not have separate budgets for travel expenses between countries. It is common that shows get cancelled entirely because the travel expenses are too high.

Did you find any new job opportunities as a result of the show? 

We got booked to perform Lola at Déda theatre in Derby, Circomedia in Bristol and The Lowry theatre in Manchester. Lola is still waiting to premiere in Finland. Because we were able to film the show at Jacksons Lane we got good marketing material which has increased interest. Lumo Company has also gotten more exposure in the UK because of Lola.

The UK has in recent years been one of Finland’s top countries for circus export, and you have studied in the country. How has the TelepART funding affected your professional development?

The funding has been very important for me personally and has indeed helped my artistic and professional development as a circus artist. The funding has helped me find new audiences for my work and made it possible for me to perform. It has also been of great value for getting more exposure for Finnish contemporary circus in the UK as well as finding new partners.

Learn more about TelepART here.

Watch the Lola trailer:

Text: Sara Nguyen
Photo: Heidi Honkala