| Summary: | Portrayals of old people on stage can be surprisingly stereotyped and dated. At what age does one become “old” nowadays? Does ageing increase wisdom or fear of death? The Swedish sociologist Lars Tornstam coined the term “gerotranscendence”: old age is “a natural progression towards maturation and wisdom.” The philosopher Bertrand Russell claimed the fear of death may be overcome by making one’s interests wider and more impersonal. Discussed here are three Finnish plays (1995, 2004, 2019) featuring elderly women: unconventional, fearless and outspoken, female characters in their own right. Age is not just numbers: it is letters―life stories.
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