Knitting Peace

Follow the threads to peace in an elegant stage show that marries breathtaking artistry with beautiful live soundtracks.

  • Scientists believe that striving for something better is what keeps us alive. The worst-case scenario would be to achieve our goals without finding something new to pursue. Circus artists often strive to achieve the impossible. Is the pursuit of an impossibility the way to happiness? Is to strive for peace on earth, to strive for the impossible?

    Can the effort itself make a difference?
    Is it possible to make peace?

    In this poetic circus performance, filled with yarn, tangles, ropes and threads, the artists try to knit their way to peace. Five circus artists create a magically beautiful world of ropes and yarns. Welcome to indulge in enigmatic music, sensitive poetry and a powerful quest for meaning.

Tickets

August 26Kulturhuset Ytterjärna (SE)Tickets
September 1–3Cultura Nova, Heerlen (NL)Tickets
September 6–9Düsseldorf Festival, Düsseldorf (DE)Tickets
September 13–15Atoll Festival Tollhaus, Karlsruhe (DE)Tickets
September 28–29Wolfsburg Theater, Wolfsburg (DE)Tickets
October 6–7Theatre Le Forum, Fréjus (FR)Tickets
November 29 – December 17Winterfest, Salzburg (AT)Tickets

”An aesthetic whole, a well-composed visual poem, executed with scenic, contemplative calm."

Expressen

We Knit for Peace

  • During its journey around the world, Knitting Peace has engaged and met peace knitters who shared their works and thoughts about knitting peace. The amount of knitting that has come in has been overwhelming and it is clear that the combination of circus, striving and knitting has grown into a movement that spans several continents.

Reviews

Breakneck poetry in a homespun world. A charming and sympathetic work where the whole trumps the individual efforts – like stitches in a knitted piece.

Dagens Nyheter

An aesthetic whole, a well-composed image poem, executed with scenic, contemplative calm.

Expressen

Physical skill in combination with beautiful poetry creates fantastic art.

El País
  • Knitting Peace at your venue?

    Are you an organiser or presenter? Knitting Peace can still be booked for tours! We have a separate website with customised information for you.

  • At museums, parties or events

    We have created Knitting Peace-inspired and personally tailored performances at, among others, the Nobel Prize Banquet, the Swedish Institute in Paris and the Army Museum in Stockholm.

Cast & Crew

  • Ensemble 2023

    Alexander Weibel Weibel/Pietro Barilli: Slack rope, Equilibrist, violin
    Joana Martinho/Aino Ihanainen: Handstand, live knitting
    Aino Savolainen/Nathalie Bertholio: Floor/dance acrobatics, aerial acrobatics, roue cyr
    Mikael Kristiansen/Antonio Panaro: Handstand, acrobatics
    Joana Dias/Saara Ahola and Mirja Jauhiainen: Aerial acrobatics, singing, accordion
    Samuel ”Looptok” Långbacka: Music, knitted livemusic

    Ariellah Winther: Rigger/Technician
    Lina Ståhl: Light technician
    Therese Larsson: Sound technician
    Fredrik “Fefe” Deijfen: Tour manager/Stage manager

    Ensemble 2021-2022

    Alexander Weibel Weibel: slack rope, equilibrist, violin
    Aino Ihanainen/Joana Martinho: handstand, live knitting
    Nathalie Bertholio/Sarah Lett: floor acrobatics, aerial acrobatics, roue cyr
    Mikael Kristiansen/Antonio Panaro: handstand, acrobatics
    Tiziana Prota/Joana Dias: aerial acrobatics, singing
    Samuel ”Looptok” Långbacka: Music, knitted livemusik

    Ariellah Winther: Rigger/Technician
    Lina Ståhl/Fredrik Ekström: Light technician
    Therese Larsson: Sound technician
    Vilhelm Montan Lindberg: Tour manager/Stage manager

    Ensemble 2020

    Joana Martinho: handstand, live knitting 
    Nathalie Bertholio/Sarah Lett: floor acrobatics, aerial acrobatics, roue cyr
    Mikael Kristiansen: handstand, floor acrobatics
    Tiziana Prota/Joana Dias: aeral acrobatics, singing
    Alexander Weibel Weibel: slack rope, equilibrist, violin
    Samuel ”Looptok” Långbacka: knitted live music

    Rigger/technician: Ariellah Winther
    Light technician: Fredrik Ekström
    Sound technician: Therese Larsson
    Tour manager/Stage manager: Vilhelm Montan Lindberg 

  • Creative Team

    Original ensemble 2013 & co-creators Aino Ihanainen, Alexander Weibel Weibel, Ilona Jäntti, Jens Engman, Matleena Laine, Niklas Blomberg, Quim Giron

    Director and concept: Tilde Björfors
    Composer & sound design: Samuel “Looptok” Långbacka
    Set design: Fanny Senocq, Tilde Björfors, Stefan ”Drake” Karlström, Joel Jedström & the ensemble
    Knitted set design & knitted costumes: Aino Ihanainen
    Costume design: Anna Bonnevier
    Mask design: Helena Andersson
    Light design: Ulf Englund

    Choreographic advisor & artistic coach: Cilla Roos
    Scenographic painter & props: Tomas Helsing
    Technical coordination & constructions: Joel Jedström
    Circus construction: Ulf “Poly” Nylin
    Assistant director: Maria Wallin
    Assisting light design: Fredrik Ekström

    Live photo: Mats Bäcker
    Posterphoto: Mattias Edwall & Karolina Henke

    The performance is an all-embracing piece of art created by everyone involved - on and behind the stage.

    Production Team

    Producer: Mirja Jauhiainen
    Technical producer: Henrik Enar
    Tour & International Relations: Irene Ramilli
    Head of Arts & Production department: Lena Kjellander Stockhaus
    Executive Producer: Malin Brereton
    Graphic design: Karin Roberts
    Head of Marketing & Communication: Hillevi Berg Niska
    Photos in the program: Karolina Henke
    CEO Cirkus Cirkör: Kajsa Giertz

    Thank you

    To all the stage technicians who have tangled their way through the show. To the producers, tour planers, and tour managers who have strived to bring the show out in the world. All the artists, supporters and knitting enthusiasts that have been involved in Knitted Peace and the preproduction Knitted Peace during the years.

    The renewed performance of Knitting Peace is a collaboration with Borås Stadsteater 2022.

    With support from the Swedish Arts Council, Region Stockholm, Stockholms stad, Botkyrka Municipality.