RISA Only Bones 2.0

Everyone strives for ultimate fulfillment: that moment when all effort comes to an end and everything is finally complete. In pursuit of this goal, we trample over one another like animals, indifferent to the consequences.

This multifaceted performance plays on the boundary between light and shadow, exploring the outer limits of physicality. Acrobatics and dance merge into a single breathing whole that is at once virtuosic and exposed. Body, space, and light come together to create an entire world on stage.

The Only Bones solo concept is a minimalist physical theatre project developed by Thom Monckton. It is based on a set of parameters that each artist may choose either to follow or to break. The original guidelines are: “only one light, no narrative, no set design, no props, no text, and everything within a limited space.” Artists are then left with nothing but their own skills to create a unique world within the framework of the concept.

Riia Kivimäki and Saku Mäkelä are internationally acclaimed dance and circus artists based in Helsinki, Finland. Together, they have developed a unique and distinctive movement language that combines partner acrobatics and dance in an unprecedented way. Their interdisciplinary contemporary works challenge conventions and limitations both within and between artistic genres. Their previous full-length production, GLG, received praise from audiences and critics alike. Read more about their work on RISA’s website: www.riiasaku.com.

Jere Mönkkönen is a lighting designer and technical producer. As a lighting designer, he is among Finland’s most internationally recognized performing arts professionals, with his work having been presented in more than 40 countries. In Finland, his designs have been seen on the country’s major stages and in leading theatres, including Helsinki City Theatre, Turku City Theatre, the Finnish National Theatre, and the Finnish National Opera.

Mönkkönen has played a significant role in the development of Finnish contemporary circus, both nationally and internationally. His artistic interests span a wide range of performing arts disciplines, with a particular focus on circus, visual theatre, and object theatre. As a lighting designer, he is primarily interested in supporting the core message of each work—whether it is a political statement, a narrative, or a purely aesthetic experience.

Hanna Mikander is an experienced sound designer who has created sound designs for approximately 50 productions. She has also composed, arranged, and produced music for numerous works, including Förgät mig (2025), Fröken Julie (2024), Ronja Rövardotter (2023), and Själarnas ö (2022).

Mikander works as an in-house designer at Svenska Teatern and has also been a guest designer at several prominent theatres and cultural institutions, including Kulturhuset Stadsteatern in Stockholm, Viirus, Åbo Svenska Teater, Lilla Teatern, and Sirius Teatern.