Moominland Midwinter

Tove Jansson’s Moominland Midwinter is a much-loved story first published in 1957. In it, Moomintroll wakes in the middle of his winter sleep and encounters a new and mysterious season for the first time—a season whose events no one has ever witnessed before. The rest of the Moomin family is asleep, and familiar landscapes are covered in snow. Along with Too-Ticky, who lives in the bathing hut, and Little My, who hurtles wildly down the hill, Moomintroll also meets other inhabitants of midwinter: the noisy Hemulen and the ancestor rustling in the corners, the beauty of the northern lights, and the dangerous frost. Having lived through his winter adventures, Moomintroll discovers a new sense of independence and courage—after all, he is now the first Moomin to have experienced every season. “Scare me as much as you like, he thought with delight. Now I’ve got you figured out. You’re no worse than anyone else, once you get to know you.”

Tove Jansson’s Moomin story comes to life at Oulun teatteri’s Pieni näyttämö through puppetry. The expressive Moomin characters are designed by Helena Markku, and the production is directed by Merja Pöyhönen, both leading figures in contemporary Finnish puppetry. Taikatalvi for the whole family offers familiar characters, an exciting winter adventure, and the chance to explore brand-new feelings in a playful world of puppetry.