A custom-made third-person RPG designed for the theatre stage.
This episodic video game performance chronicles the life and times of Harriharri living in virtual Helsinki. Harriharri is a newcomer who arrives with high hopes of being welcomed into the culture. Despite his sincere efforts, he faces continuous obstacles in pursuit of integrating into Finnish society.
The first episode premiered at Ateneum Museum as part of UrbanApa X Ateneum Arts Festival in the summer of 2020. The game is projected on a theatre stage and presented as a live gaming video with a picture-in-picture display of the performer playing the game in real time.
From behind the screen, I play the game and narrate the story of Harriharri, my Finnish avatar, through freestyle rap and song. Harriharri’s struggle to integrate into Finnish society reflects my own experiences as a POC. The game world he inhabits is designed to simulate the social limitations of a POC living in a society shaped by structural racism. Through my gameplay and narration, I bring the character’s journey to life on screen.
In summer 2021, Adventures of Harriharri — Episode I was recognised by A MAZE. / Berlin with the Digital Moment Award for expanding the boundaries of games, theatre, and performance.
Adventures of Harriharri — Episode II, premiered in the autumn of 2021 at Cultural House Martius as part of Vantaa Art Museum Artsi’s Reciprocities exhibition. Watch the performance here!
The second episode expands Harriharri’s adventures through virtual Finland, taking him into the city of Vantaa. This episode highlights the rise of far-right politics and xenophobia in contemporary Finland. Through gameplay, Harriharri undergoes an unsettling introduction to Finnish cultural politics, shattering his naïve image of Finland. In order to conquer the most challenging levels of the game, Harriharri must battle bureaucracies and systemic forces of social exclusion.
This work is supported by Arts Promotion Centre Finland (Taike) and is produced by both Vantaa Art Museum Artsi and the Theatre Academy of the University of Arts Helsinki.
Creator and Performer: Harold Hejazi
Game Developers: Harold Hejazi, magu & Rolands Tīss
Composer and Sound Designer: Eliel Tammiharju
Adventures of Harriharri — Episode III premiered at Helsinki City Theatre in the spring of 2022. It is the final instalment in the trilogy of video game performances chronicling Harriharri’s life in virtual Helsinki.
The latest episode enables the audience to also play the game, making each performance unique. The multiplayer audience plays the game by shouting vocal commands that alter the narrative progression. A game controller on stage allows a brave audience member to control the game at select moments. Levels comprise various mini-games simulating obstacles to integrating into Finnish society.
For instance, one level is a retro platformer where an audience member may experience Finland’s stressful residence permit application process. Another features a social interaction mini-game with NPCs representing Finnish POCs, whose dialogue options are based on real interviews. My vision is for the audience to influence Harriharri’s decisions and live his experiences, evoking a deeper understanding of the marginalisation faced by newcomers, foreigners, and immigrants in Finland.
As Harriharri navigates Finnish society, the multiplayer audience engages with societal issues such as everyday racism, the racist positions of right-wing politicians, and the socioeconomic exclusions of white supremacy. The audience must self-organise, negotiate, make decisions together, and encourage each other to step on stage and pick up the controller. This project uses humour and play to facilitate open conversations around diversity, fostering a collective understanding of our shared humanity.
A recording of this performance is available upon request. It is also available at a discounted rate to schools in Finland through the LIVE 2 program.
This performance was originally produced by Stage for Contemporary Performance and supported by Arts Promotion Centre Finland.
Creator and Performer: Harold Hejazi
Game Developers: magu & Rolands Tīss
Composer and Sound Designer: Eliel Tammiharju
Video Technician: Jokke Heikkilä
Selected performances:
2022, Helsinki City Theatre, Stage for Contemporary Performance, Finland
2023, Oulu City Theatre, Stage of Diversity, Finland
2023, Cultural House Caisa, Suomen Tarinat, Finland
2023, Schaubude Berlin, Theater der Dinge Festival, Germany
2024, Schauspielhaus Graz, Digithalia- Festival for Virtual Theatre Forms, Austria
2024, Helsingborg Concert Hall, Bibu, Sweden