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Author: Ninni Saajola

Ninni Saajola is a screenwriter who has written both for television and radio theatre in her far, far away homeland and is now finishing her second B.A. in Philadelphia while working with miscellaneous theatre projects and continuing to write professionally in Europe.
Reviews Theater

RED (Walnut): Talking Rothko

Ninni Saajola March 2, 2016 No Comments

Rothko’s and his young assistant’s dialogue on art reflects the way art is in conversation with itself, but it doesn’t manage to capture Mark Rothko as a fascinating and challenging character.

View More RED (Walnut): Talking Rothko
Reviews Theater

SPINE (Inis Nua): Beauty in the library stacks

Ninni Saajola February 22, 2016 No Comments

Dramatizing the effects of public library closings doesn’t sound like the most engaging of topics, but playwright Clara Brennan weaves a beautiful story about the importance of seeing the people behind numbers and statistics.

View More SPINE (Inis Nua): Beauty in the library stacks
Reviews Theater

DOGFALL (Iron Age): Let slip the dogs of war

Ninni Saajola February 15, 2016 No Comments

DOGFALL looks good and has good intentions, but as everyone aware of military history knows, high aspirations don’t always lead to success.

View More DOGFALL (Iron Age): Let slip the dogs of war
Reviews Theater

GOD BLESS BASEBALL (FringeArts/Toshiki Okada): Explaining the rules of the game

Ninni Saajola January 26, 2016 1 Comment

Toshiki Okada’s new play is an allegorically complex performance about baseball that isn’t about baseball.

View More GOD BLESS BASEBALL (FringeArts/Toshiki Okada): Explaining the rules of the game
Reviews Theater

BASKERVILLE (PTC): The adventure of the omnipresent detective

Ninni Saajola December 13, 2015 No Comments

Ken Ludwig’s idea of turning a Sherlock Holmes story into a comedy isn’t groundbreaking, which means the execution of the idea needs to be really good to stand out

View More BASKERVILLE (PTC): The adventure of the omnipresent detective
Reviews Theater

A PORCH AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD (Transmissions): The magic happens in magical realism

Ninni Saajola November 15, 2015 No Comments

A magical realism play based on a true story could easily be a disaster, but Transmissios Theatre makes the magic happen.

View More A PORCH AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD (Transmissions): The magic happens in magical realism
Reviews Theater

LIGHTS RISE ON GRACE (Azuka): Cultural identities in the stage lights

Ninni Saajola November 12, 2015 No Comments

Three cleverly interconnected survival stories about the complicated nature of life, love, and family.

View More LIGHTS RISE ON GRACE (Azuka): Cultural identities in the stage lights
Reviews Theater

DISGRACED (PTC): Talking politics, religion, and culture

Ninni Saajola October 20, 2015 No Comments

Ayad Akhtar’s Pulitzer-winning play is a conversational piece with a high-paced ending and plenty of thought-provoking ideas.

View More DISGRACED (PTC): Talking politics, religion, and culture
Reviews Theater

ANTIGONE (Wilma): Spectacular, but a spectacular failure

Ninni Saajola October 18, 2015 No Comments

The man behind the 2013 Fringe Festival hit AJAX, The Madness directs his version of ANTIGONE for the Wilma Theater.

View More ANTIGONE (Wilma): Spectacular, but a spectacular failure
Reviews Theater

HOOKED (Inis Nua): A pub play in a pub

Ninni Saajola October 14, 2015 No Comments

Entertaining for anyone looking for a fun and a little different night at the pub, or just an excuse to spend the night at the pub.

View More HOOKED (Inis Nua): A pub play in a pub
Reviews Theater

THE CHILDREN’S HOUR (EgoPo): A superbly acted historical anecdote

Ninni Saajola October 12, 2015 No Comments

EgoPo Classic Theater continues its foray into classics of American drama with a focus on female playwrights.

View More THE CHILDREN’S HOUR (EgoPo): A superbly acted historical anecdote
Fringe Festival Fringe reviews Music Reviews

THE CART OF LOVE/EL CARRO DEL AMOR (Ana María Ruimonte/Owlsong Productions): Fringe review 52

Ninni Saajola September 16, 2015 No Comments

An ambitious art project that seeks to combine multimedia, puppeteering, a baroque chamber orchestra and the singing of mezzo-soprano Ana María Ruimonte in a bilingual presentation.

View More THE CART OF LOVE/EL CARRO DEL AMOR (Ana María Ruimonte/Owlsong Productions): Fringe review 52
Dance Fringe Festival Fringe reviews Reviews Theater

THE BORDER (Jo Strømgren Kompani): 2015 Fringe review 32.2

Ninni Saajola September 12, 2015 No Comments

THE BORDER delivers on all the essential aspects of Scandinavian life: there’s dry humor, a self-deprecating take on one’s life and, of course, melancholic dance music.

View More THE BORDER (Jo Strømgren Kompani): 2015 Fringe review 32.2
Fringe Festival Fringe reviews Reviews Theater

SLAUGHTER/ETTE (Butter & Serve): 2015 Fringe review 20

Ninni Saajola September 7, 2015 No Comments

In this parody of The Bachelor, reality television contestants hope to score themselves an eligible bachelor by any means necessary.

View More SLAUGHTER/ETTE (Butter & Serve): 2015 Fringe review 20
Fringe Festival Fringe reviews Reviews Theater

A DOLL’S HOUSE (Jo Strømgren Kompani): 2015 Fringe review 9.2

Ninni Saajola September 7, 2015 No Comments

Jo Strømgren Kompani boldly promise to deliver the essence of the celebrated play despite making ambitious changes to it.

View More A DOLL’S HOUSE (Jo Strømgren Kompani): 2015 Fringe review 9.2
Fringe Festival Fringe reviews Reviews Theater

AFTER THE REHEARSAL / PESONA (Toneelgroep Amsterdam): 2015 Fringe review 7.2

Ninni Saajola September 5, 2015 No Comments

Ivo van Hove’s reimagining of the Bergman classics is full of visual and interpretative ideas, but lacks overarching purpose.

View More AFTER THE REHEARSAL / PESONA (Toneelgroep Amsterdam): 2015 Fringe review 7.2
Reviews Theater

I PROMISED MYSELF TO LIVE FASTER (Pig Iron): 60-second review

Ninni Saajola May 28, 2015 No Comments

An absurd sci-fi epic with countless phallic symbols and absolutely no sense of “too much”. What more could you ask for?

View More I PROMISED MYSELF TO LIVE FASTER (Pig Iron): 60-second review
Reviews Theater

BROWNSVILLE SONG (B-SIDE FOR TRAY) (PTC/Long Wharf): Telling an urban tragedy

Ninni Saajola May 11, 2015 No Comments

An admirable attempt to address the contemporary and timely tragedy of urban violence that doesn’t quite manage to ring true.

View More BROWNSVILLE SONG (B-SIDE FOR TRAY) (PTC/Long Wharf): Telling an urban tragedy
Reviews Theater

NOW NOW OH NOW (Rude Mechanicals): Role-playing and improv combine

Ninni Saajola April 25, 2015 No Comments

The idea of combining improv with role-playing works very well since both rely on improvisation within certain parameters and they’re also both just a lot of fun.

View More NOW NOW OH NOW (Rude Mechanicals): Role-playing and improv combine
Dan Hodge, Rape of Lucrece 2 by Kate Raines
60-Second Review Reviews Theater

THE RAPE OF LUCRECE (Philadelphia Artists’ Collective): 60-second review

Ninni Saajola April 22, 2015 No Comments

Dan Hodge’s one-man performance of Shakespeare’s poem RAPE OF LUCRECE is back! And it is not to be missed (again).

View More THE RAPE OF LUCRECE (Philadelphia Artists’ Collective): 60-second review

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