the little warranty people

Eduard Uspenski - Riku Niemi - Simo Heiskanen

The Little Warranty People

Simo Heiskanen's choreography The Little Warranty People is based on the children's book by the same name by Eduard Uspenski, published in 1975.

The little warranty people live inside different machines: cars, airplanes, clocks, fridges. Their task is to maintain the machines while their warranty is valid, after which they return to the factory. Big people know nothing of these folks.

The warranty people get into trouble with a sausage-craving mouse army, who have established themselves at the summer residence of the warranty people's host family. The mice declare war because that is they way things have always been done. They hold the oldest warranty person, clock master Esaias Hesekielinpoika Könni hostage. Könni's companions try to mislead the mice with cheese and sausage, but fail to avoid scuffle.

A mutual threat, the host family's little girl Tanja, makes the troublemakers pull together. Tanja thinks she catches a glimpse of the warranty people and tries in every way prove they exist. Maija the Cuckoo plays a role in the performance. Her hoarse voice has never been suitable for cuckooing.

The story of the warranty people is told by dancing and singing, flinging into the motion comics of humorous situations. The imaginative potential and the visual challenges create a performance that appeal to both children and adults. Uspenski's symbolic, mischievous social satire, directed at the Soviet Union's materialism, is there as well, updated to our time and environment.

The music of The Little Warranty People was composed by the multiply skilled musician Riku Niemi and staged by Simon Le Roux, who specializes in motorized staging. The adventure is costumed by Sari Suominen and the lighting is designed by Pasi Pehkonen. The dancers are Kaisa Niemi, Hermanni Rask, Sakari Saikkonen, Riku Immonen, Tuomo Railo and Simo Heiskanen.