The Estonian Drama Theatre’s Business as Usual will be performed at Dailes Theatre in Riga on 26, 27 and 28 August. The guest performances continue the production’s international journey and open the work to Latvian and English-speaking audiences.
Following its sold-out guest performances at Tampere Theatre Festival, the Estonian Drama Theatre’s Business as Usual will continue its international journey in Riga. The production will be performed at Dailes Theatre on 26, 27 and 28 August, on the theatre’s large stage — the largest theatre stage in the Baltics.
All three performances begin at 18:30. The production will be performed in Estonian, with Latvian and English surtitles.
The Riga performances continue the international life of Business as Usual, one of the Estonian Drama Theatre’s most successful recent productions. The performances at Tampere Theatre Festival on 7 and 8 August are already sold out, and audience interest in the Riga dates has also been exceptionally strong. The three performances at Dailes Theatre sold out in around an hour and a half, with approximately 2,400 tickets purchased in total.
A large share of the tickets was bought from Estonia, showing that Estonian audiences are also ready to follow the production abroad. At the same time, the Latvian and English surtitles open the work to local and international audiences in Riga.
Written by Mehis Pihla and directed by Hendrik Toompere Jr, Business as Usual is a gripping story inspired by the money laundering scandals connected to Estonian banking. The production follows a young man who finds himself working in the foreign banking department of a major bank, serving clients from the world of Eastern Bloc oligarchs and offshore wealth. Through dark humour and documentary precision, the production reveals a world where money moves across borders with ease, secrecy is a service, and the consequences reach deep into politics and society.
Business as Usual premiered in Tartu in June 2024 as part of the main programme of European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024. Since then, it has become both a major audience success and a prizewinning production.
The Riga guest performances are supported by the Estonian Ministry of Culture.
Performances at Dailes Theatre, Riga:
Wednesday, 26 August at 18:30
Thursday, 27 August at 18:30
Friday, 28 August at 18:30
Performed in Estonian with Latvian and English surtitles.