London baby

July 2025. London. Summer. Sweat. Wine. Art. Sticky thighs on plastic chairs, sticky notes around the theatre, tiny hands and cats everywhere - I absolutely loved the vibe. And this one felt extra special— fro many reasons but also because it was our first time working together in London. 
Imogen is actually from here. People talk like she does. I just love the accent. I keep repeating "brilliant" and "cheers" and pretending I blend in. (I don’t.) Of course, one of the goals was to spot the royal family because I have a feeling they might be also yes people. We were manifesting Prince William for our work-in-progress presentation.
Spoiler: he didn’t come.
Maybe next time.
But people did come! We did a tiny preview, a first one for this project and asked the audience to pay £1. One single pound. That’s what art is worth, right? (Kidding. Kind of.)
This was our 4th creative residency for Yes Person—short but sweet. A flash of creative chaos and sunshine, London underground and delicious food and some meetings with old friends. A reminder that no matter where we are—Finland, Berlin, London—we bring our circus souls with us. We carry heavy bags, roll out the mats, unpack the mess, and try things we’re not sure will work.
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how much the place and the season affect the process. Like, how different it is to create in July, with the sun warming your bones and people smiling for no reason, compared to the pitch-black gloom of November when everyone is few steps away from crying.
Do shows created in winter naturally become heavier? Do summer shows always end up lighter?
Is it weird to create something dark and gut-wrenching when the ice cream truck is playing its little jingle outside? Or maybe it’s exactly the time to go deep—contrast as a tool. A rebellion against the seasonal mood.
Should we plan premieres around this? Like, don’t drop your most joyful, glitter-filled show in the middle of January… or maybe do, just because that’s exactly when people need it the most?
I don’t have an answer. But I think it matters.
The weather, the city, the air you’re breathing—all of it leaves fingerprints on what you’re creating. And that’s kind of beautiful, right?
Let’s see what kind of fingerprints London left on Yes Person. I think there’s a bit of royal mischief in there now.
London, you were lovely. See you soon again.