Mehis Pihla


Mehis Pihla is an Estonian playwright, screenwriter and director. He is best known for Rahamaa '', a play inspired by the Danske Bank money laundering scandal. At the 2025 Estonian Theatre Awards, Rahamaa won Best Play.
Since 2018, Pihla has been a dramaturg and director at the Estonian Drama Theatre.

Biography

Mehis Pihla was born in Tallinn, Estonia. He graduated from Kose Gümnaasium in 2008. In 2011 he graduated from the University of Tartu with a degree in semiotics and cultural theory. From 2011 to 2012, he worked as a telecommunications and utility networks design engineer.
In 2016 Pihla graduated from the Theatre Department of the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre with a degree in dramaturgy. From 2016 to 2018, he worked as a freelance dramaturg, playwright and director. Since 2016, he has been a member of the Estonian Theatre Union and the Estonian Directors’ and Dramaturgs’ Union. Since 2018, Pihla has worked in the Literary Department of the Estonian Drama Theatre as a dramaturg.

Works

Theatre

Plays

Ükskord Liibanonis - Once Upon a Time in Lebanon, translated by Adam Cullen. The play premiered in February 2025 at the Estonian Drama Theatre, directed by Hendrik Toompere Jr Jr. Rahamaa - Business as Usual, translated by Adam Cullen. The play premiered in June 2024 at the Estonian Drama Theatre, directed by Hendrik Toompere Jr Jr. The play has been translated into French ; into Romanian Surm - The Death premiered in December 2023 at Must Kast Theatre, directed by Birgit Landberg.Meister Solness - The ''Master Solness premiered in October 2022 at the Estonian Drama Theatre, directed by Mehis Pihla. Adaptation of The Master Builder by Henrik Ibsen.Solist - The Soloist premiered in February 2022 at the Estonian Drama Theatre, directed by Kersti Heinloo.Kuldse liilia saladus - The Secret of the Golden Lily premiered in December 2019 at Rakvere Teater, directed by Kersti Heinloo.Evolutsiooni revolutsioon - The Revolution of the Evolution premiered in December 2019 at Must Kast Theatre, directed by Birgit Landberg. Bладь и Миръ - translated into Latvian Metsa forte - Forest Forte'' premiered in May 2018 at the Estonian Drama Theatre, directed by Hendrik Toompere Jr Jr.

Adaptations

Aja oma atra läbi koolnute kontide - Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead premiered at the Estonian Drama Theatre, directed by Hendrik Toompere Jr, adapted from the Olga Tokarczuk novel of the same name.Lohe needus - The Curse of the Dragon premiered in November 2018 at the Estonian Drama Theatre, directed by Kersti Heinloo, adapted from the Helen Käit's childrens' book of the same name.

Productions

Film

Pihla was one of the screenwriters of the Estonian TV series Alo and the film Kalev. He is the screenwriter of Meie Erika, a film about the Estonian track bicycle racer and Olympic gold medalist Erika Salumäe.

Awards

  • 2014 – Voldemar Panso Award
  • 2019 – 3rd Prize for Bладь и Миръ, Estonian Theatre Agency Playwriting Competition
  • 2021 – Estonian Drama Theatre Colleagues’ Award Kaval-Ants - for the readiness to write, direct, and step on stage at short notice
  • 2022 – Estonian Drama Theatre Colleagues’ Award Kaval-Ants - for directing Today we die hard, staged reading project
  • 2024 – Estonian Drama Theatre Colleagues’ Award Kaval-Ants ''- for astonishing talent
  • 2025 – Estonian Theatre Award for Best Play - for the play Rahamaa''