Meet Rosanna, Angelica, Helena, Mia and their guard in “The Rock blasters daughters”.
Enter a world where our characters experience the harsh and often inhumane consequences of incarceration. A world where mental and physical care is downsized into almost nothing. Endless frustration over how pointless restrictions, among other things, gives you almost no chance to withhold contact with our children and other relatives and closed ones who, in many cases, are the only ones who can help them in their struggle not to relapse into crime. This documentary featured drama is presented with absurd humor, a driven dialogue and strong electronic music beats.
 

Lo Kauppi wrote the manuscript based on interviews with interns and their children, relatives and the caretakers within Swedish penalties. "The Rock blasters daughters" give the opportunity to the interns as well as their children and caretakers to tell their stories of their own experiences within the correctional system. Through the media we are told on a daily basis of extreme cases of crime, which little represent the reality facing the average prisoner - many times a person struggling with problems like addiction, crime, a previous violent relationship, a broken family or, occasionally, a mental illness.
  

“…astonishing artistic depth”
VK

 

“It’s such a fantastic production that it deserves political answers and reactions…”
Västerbottens Folkblad

 

“Kauppi pull the pants down on the penalty system and kicks it hard and straight on the balls”
Sydsvenskan

 

“The Performance are really strong… the absurdity of how the system work ends up in moments of black comedy”
Hallandsposten
 

“Exquisite acting on a steady ground of burning fury”
DN

 

Lo Kauppi, wrote and played "Bergsprängardottern som exploderade" in 2004-2006. The play was about her childhood growing up with an alcoholic dad; how she went from eating disorders to drug addiction and how she, at the age of seventeen, was taken into custody in accordance with the LVU, the law that allows Swedish authorities to intervene if they consider a young person to be a threat to him- or herself. When she was on tour with Riksteatern/Swedish National Touring Company) with the play "Bergsprängardottern som exploderade" in 2004-2006  we had the opportunity to visit Ystad, Hinseberg och Kumla, three of Sweden's top security penitentiaries. The performances were very well received and many of the interns wanted to tell her their own stories. That is how the idea to make a follow-up that continues were her story ends came up. This play is named "The Rock blasters daughters" because it is a prolongation of her story. The play stick to the political thesis –care is cheaper than punishment.
 
 What is the purpose to make a play about the intern’s stories?
- Many families live with an enormous shame when their mother is in prison. I want to bring their stories into the light. They are not mysterious, evil or weird people. Many of them have children, former occupations and most of them want to get help to get out from a destructive behavior. The penalties intuitions must pull the brakes, and change the direction. Away from punishment and the focus on security and give care based on dependable methods and structured treatments plans.  It’s an inhuman system that creates a violent society for all of us. It’s about racism, class difference and contempt for weakness but most of all fear of the unknown, says Lo Kauppi author, director and set designer of "The Rock blasters daughters".

Lo Kauppi have been working as a professional actress for over seven years, and have performed in and written productions for Sweden’s national stages such as Riksteatern and Dramaten.
 

The reactions from the audience, from representatives for the correctional system and politicians all over the country has been overwhelming. The play has, during its 2010 tour in Sweden, encouraged and put forth an utterly necessary discussion on today´s treatment of imprisoned people and its disadvantages, portrayed in the play.
"The Rock blasters daughters"  works as a reflection of the whole society.

 

The Stage:

The minimum stage dimensions are:
Width of stage        12 m
Depth of stage         6 m           
Height                        5 m
Proscenium width   7 m
We need fly bars all over the stage area on the height of 5 m
The stage floor must be even and horizontal

Electricity:
Lighting    1 X 63 A/400 V 50 Hz CEE 3 phase
Sound       1 X 16 A/400 V 50 Hz CEE 3 phase

FOH:
FOH should be centre aligned to the stage with a good overview of the stage area.
Depth 2 m
Width 3 m
The mixing console must be placed in the same area as the audience with no screens or windows between. Light and sound has to be together.

 

Dressing rooms:

We will need access to at least two dressing rooms suitable for 4 respectively 1 person: with mirrors and adequate lightning for doing make-up and hair and possibility to hang the costumes. The dressing rooms must have a minimum room temperature of +20 degrees Celsius with close access to toilets and showers.

                                                                                                            

Riksteatern - CREW:                                                                                                                                                            
Our touring crew and ensemble consists of: 
                            
5 - Artists (4 female/1 male)
1 - Stage manager/ Tour manager
1 - Sound technician
1 - Light technician

Freight transport
The technical equipment is transported in a truck about 50 m3.

The loading-bay platform must be clean and fully accessible by the truck and the theatre. If there are any local traffic restrictions or regulations that involve the truck’s access to the theatre, you must apply for any necessary permits and permission.
Parking arrangements for the truck, near the theatre, during the time we are there is needed to also be organized by the arranger.

The load – in:
 

We have things that are 4 meters long and 1.5 m wide.
If there are stairs, elevator or anything else that may make it difficult, please let us know. Then we need to reschedule the Get-in.

We need the venue to supply:
1 Stage manager
1 Light technician
2 Stage hands

 

All four have to help us with load-in, set-up, take-down and load-out. During the performance we only need the stage manager.

Under ordinary circumstances, we need to have get-in 6 hours before the show and are done with the load-out 2 hours after the show.

Duration of performance:      150 minutes including intermission.
 
We have a smoke machine in the show.

 

Henrik Enar

Technical Project Manager 

Mobile: +46 (0) 70-637 59 65

 

Helena Ringvold

Producer

Mobile: +46 (0) 70-175 58 58

Tel: +46 (0) 8-531 99 356