This week, Vamos’s Artistic Director Rachael Savage is working with a group of arts professionals in Jyväskylä, Finland. Funded by Arts Council England, the week’s residency is part of the Research and Development process for Vamos’s new show for 2018, working title Civvy Street, centred around Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in the military.

The idea for creating a show around PTSD was first inspired by an article in the Guardian, about a son who came back from fighting in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq and was found by his dad in the middle of the night hiding in their wheelie bin. This, and other stories of the extreme stress caused by PTSD, are part of what Rachael will explore with Finnish performers during the week in Finland.

Reporting back after the first day of workshops in Jyvaskyla, Rachael says “It's already fascinating working with professionals from Finland- this piece will tour internationally and so it's crucial to consider experiences outside of the U.K. In Finland the National Service still exists and opinions on war, military training, and PTSD were immediately relevant to a diverse group of people from a country that has not been at war since 1945. It promises to be an interesting week ahead, with a sharing on Friday.”