Directed and adapted by
Hanna Ojala

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Rovaniemi City Theatre 2009
 

On the day of the final mathematics exam,
a group of ninth-graders shows up at their teacher’s door with flowers for her 60th birthday. What begins as a polite gesture quickly turns into something dangerous.

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The Final Exam of Spring exposes a ruthless culture of performance, where success, visibility, and access to elite Helsinki schools matter more than anything else.
Helena Särkiniemi, an old-school teacher shaped by another era, finds herself facing a generation for whom failure is not an option.

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The maths exam has gone badly. But the students have a plan.
 

Director Hanna Ojala grounded the production in extensive research. She interviewed teachers and students, immersed herself in the realities of contemporary youth, and confronted the shock of youth-perpetrated mass violence—prompting a deeper examination of the widening values gap between today’s young people and the post-war generation. From this work emerged urgent themes: bullying, relentless pressure to succeed, the pursuit of visibility, fractured home lives, and a lack of boundaries coupled with insecurity.

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The artistic team worked closely with schools in Rovaniemi—observing daily routines, conducting interviews, and shaping the material into an impressive theatrical work.

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The result became a phenomenon embraced by both young audiences and adults. Young people created social media fan accounts for the characters, while older audiences responded in local newspapers’ letters to the editor, continuing the conversation far beyond the stage.

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​​​Written by Helena Razumovskaja & Tuomas Timonen
Directed and Adapted by Hanna Ojala
Set, Costume, Light & Video Designer Raisa Kilpeläinen
Sound Design Miksa Koponen
Hair&Makeup Design Kaisa Mylläri
Photos Kati Kuha

Cast Outi Nevanlinna, Kirsi Kärnä, Joonas Heikkinen, Antti Hovilainen, Tomi Enbuska 

 

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