The Second Republic

Esa Leskinen's The Second Republic tells the story of Finland's efforts to preserve its democratic form of government under pressure from the Soviet Union, international conflicts, and internal political tensions. The production is the fourth independent part of Leskinen's series on democracy - its predecessor was The First Republic (2022).

The work unfolds on the Grand Stage the sharp turns of history from the dangerous post-war years through the yuppie era of the 1980s to the collapse of the Soviet empire. Urho Kekkonen is the central figure: the younger Kekkonen is played by Janne Reinikainen and the elder statesman by Vesa Vierikko.

Premiere 12.2.2026, performances 15.8.-16.12.2026. Tickets 22-62 € from the National Theatre and Lippupiste. The production is in Finnish, duration 2 h 45 min.