Theatre workshops and trekking – off-grid experience kick-starts studies for social science students at Tampere University

The concept of wilderness theatre was first introduced in 2014 by theatre director and author Juha Hurme, who staged theatrical pieces with his team in the wilds of Finnish Lapland.

Today, wilderness theatre courses invite students to explore this unconventional art form while relaxing in nature and critically examining environmental and societal phenomena. The course concept was developed by Hurme. 

The most artistically demanding form of wilderness theatre calls for time, effort and physical stamina from its participants. This autumn, 17 social science students from Tampere University took part in English-language theatre workshops as part of their degree programme, while trekking ten kilometres through a national park in Kuhmoinen, Finland.

The group enjoyed a sauna in a traditional loggers’ sauna, took a refreshing swim in a pond, and stayed overnight at Lortikka loggers’ cabin. 

The two-day wilderness theatre module, which is part of a core course in the SOS degree programme, was taught by Juha Hurme. He was joined by University Lecturer Mikko Perkiö, who serves as the course leader. 

“An artistic approach that draws entirely on elements found in nature offers deeper insight into what truly gives theatre its power to affect both performers and audiences. Wilderness theatre breaks down the conventional divide between theatre-makers and spectators,” says Perkiö. 

Wilderness theatre supports personal growth 

Scientific evidence indicates that the future of both humanity and the natural environment is threatened by a polycrisis. Strengthening human agency is the key to addressing this challenge.

Perkiö finds that wilderness theatre provides a multisensory learning experience that promotes both ecological and social literacy among the participants.

“Art education that engages both the body and the imagination cultivates empathy and a caring mindset. Theatre offers a safe and interactive space to explore new ideas, drawing on imagination and the surrounding environment,” says Perkiö. 

He adds that drama exercises not only reinforce our ability to cope with change but also encourage active agency.

“Plays and theatre bring together knowledge, emotion and physical experience, making wilderness theatre a powerful and participatory way to address systemic risks and the polycrisis.” 

Students report a deeper connection to nature 

Students provided positive feedback on the wilderness theatre experience, noting that it strengthened their relationship with nature. 

“I found wilderness theatre a creative and enjoyable way to learn about ecology and other environmental aspects of the course. Being in the woods and creating plays expands your thinking in a way that a traditional classroom cannot,” says Isabel Schneider, a student on the course. 

“The experience deepened my connection with, and empathy towards, nature. The course helped us feel more attuned to our surroundings, as though we were part of the environment rather than separate from it,” says Heli Laajoki. 

Another student reflected on the potential of the concept to promote environmental protection on a broader scale: 

“Wilderness theatre could be introduced earlier as an educational tool, as people tend to protect what they find meaningful. Programmes like this could foster more positive attitudes towards environmental conservation,” says Shaune Mulder. 

Concept with international potential 

Ideally, wilderness theatre combines relaxation, personal learning and critical reflection in untouched natural surroundings. 

Perkiö believes that the concept holds international potential and could also appeal to tourists eager to experience wilderness theatre set specifically in Finland’s pristine forests.

“Wilderness theatre offers a way to respond to the environmental polycrisis through a mutually reinforcing combination of positive elements,” Perkiö notes.

“We are aiming to launch a project that combines art, science and advocacy to further develop the wilderness theatre concept, particularly as a response to the eco-social crisis. This project would bring together theatre practitioners and researchers as well as social scientists.”