Revamped Seili musical returns to Turku City Theatre
Friday 4th September 2026 on 16:45 in
Finland
The Seili musical is returning to Turku City Theatre in a substantially revised form, Yle reports. The production was last staged there in 2014 and now features new music and a changed script.
The musical explores the history of Seili, an island in the Turku archipelago that once housed a leprosy hospital and a psychiatric hospital. Its story draws on real events and the lives of real people, although the musical itself is fictional.
Turku City Theatre director Mikko Kouki said the idea of revising the production had remained with the theatre for 12 years. The earlier version was a jukebox musical, which used existing music instead of newly composed material.
Jussi Vahvaselkä has composed the music for the new production. The script has also been revised.
A patient who wanted to be heard
The model for the musical’s main character was a psychiatric hospital patient named Amanda, whose letters also inspired the production.
“She wanted someone to hear her,” Kouki said. “We want to honour that, and now she will be heard through this performance.”
Kouki has also worked on a film script set on Seili and produced an audio drama about the fates of women connected to the island. Although the musical delves into the island’s history and its psychiatric hospital, Kouki describes it as a love story as well.
Theatre remains popular
Kouki has led Turku City Theatre since 2014, but his connection with the theatre goes back much further. His father worked there as an actor for more than 30 years, and Kouki received his first theatre engagement there after graduating from theatre school.
According to Kouki, the theatre has been doing well. Last year, it recorded its highest attendance in more than 40 years.
He said theatre remained highly popular in Finland because it brought people together to watch live performers on stage.
Turku City Theatre is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year with events and an exhibition. As part of the anniversary programme, the theatre will collect memories from the public on the streets of Turku.