Interview: Shared Vulnerability and Connection at Camden Fringe

KODISTA (Of Home, Homing), Castle Room, Castlehaven Community Centre

Our Camden Fringe interviews are continuing at a pace. And one of the joys is dicovering new venues taking part for the first time. One of those is Castlehaven Community Centre, who will be hosting Sanna Salán‘s KODISTA (Of Home, Homing) for two performances on 14 and 21 August at 6.30pm (further information and bookings here).

Sanna Salán one-woman performative installation is an experimental show that challenges the rules of theatre, bringing the participant into the spotlight, inciting shared vulnerability and connection. Fuelled by the participants and inspired by memories – KODISTA (Of Home, Homing) transports you to finding the truest meaning of home. It’s a moment outside the everyday that allows you to re-connect with your inner world.

You can find all our Camden Fringe interviews here.

What can audiences expect from the show?

KODISTA (Of Home, Homing) is interactive, durational, reflective and plays with the realms of imagination and memories. It is a performance piece that plays with the conventions of theatre and performance art. It’s probably not what you expect it to be, so come with open minds and hearts – you get the best experience if you surrender to it and let your mind wander. But expect to meet with people and share the space with them – expect to take space and hold space for others.  

Is Camden Fringe going to be the show’s first time on stage, or have you already performed elsewhere?

I created this performance originally as my master’s thesis at Rose Bruford College in autumn 2024. Since, I have performed a short snippet of it at LAPER’s ‘Audience Participation’ event at Hundred Years Gallery, Hoxton. But this is the first time I have combined some new ideas to create the performance it is today! 

What was your inspiration behind the show?

This performance originally stemmed from a feeling of rootlessness, and of not knowing where to call home. Having lived in different cities and countries, I felt that the definition of home does not necessarily mean a place you can go back to physically, but its rather a moment in time and something immaterial entirely. This thought ties together with the idea of performance art and its immateriality really well, and therefore I wanted to connect these two thoughts. Another huge inspiration to me has been durational performance art and its pioneers, which fascinate me immensely. 

How long have you been working on the play?

I have been working on this idea passively for about two years, and actively about a year and a bit. This all started as research process, where I knew that the format would be durational, and that it’s about this specific feeling, but everything else was discovered through the process – event the process of creating the performance itself.  

How important is audience interaction to you?

Audience participation is at the heart of this performance. I want to nurture a space where we all are present and can connect with other people in the room – in our own ways. I am definitely not throwing anyone under a bus out of nowhere, all the participation and its rules are in the hands of the participants. But the most beautiful moments happen when people truly share something personal – is it an eye contact, a sentence or just their presence in the space – or learn something new about themselves.  

Are there any plans for what comes next after the show has finished its run – for you or the show?

The performance will continue its journey, and the next stop for it will be Helsinki, Finland, in the autumn of 2025. I am honored to be able to take this show to one of my many homes and bring it to the Finnish speaking audience. Otherwise, I have a few exiting projects and productions in calendar, including children’s theatre, dance theatre and developing a new movement show with Babel Theatre’s Creation Space on the themes of pleasure.  

If you had to describe your show as a colour what would it be, and why?

Blue. The calm and mellow connotations of it definitely resonate with the performance, but also the peace and breath that come with it. It’s a soothing colour. And because it is the colour of water – which is an important part of the performance. 

Thanks to Sanna for finding time to chat. KODISTA (Of Home, Homing) plays at Castle Room, Castlehaven Community Centre for Camden Fringe on 14 and 21 August.

You can find out more about Sanna and her work here.