Jaan Rekkor on Endla theatre's longest-serving actor: 'I'm probably Europe's painkiller champion'

Veteran Estonian actor Jaan Rekkor, 68, has left Tallinn's Draamateater but continues performing at Pärnu's Endla theatre, where he has worked for over four decades. He candidly admits to consuming alarming quantities of painkillers daily to manage his health. Rekkor says he foresaw his health deteriorating and made the difficult decision to step back before it became worse.

Veteran Estonian actor Jaan Rekkor, 68, has spoken openly about the physical toll of a lifetime on stage, revealing that he consumes painkillers at a rate he jokingly, and grimly, describes as record-breaking. «The amount of painkillers I swallow every day is frightening. I'm probably Europe's painkiller champion,» he told interviewers, painting a stark picture of what decades of intensive theatrical work can do to the body.

Rekkor recently drew a line under his work with Draamateater, one of Estonia's most prominent theatre companies, citing mounting health concerns. He says he saw the signs coming for some time. «In the last season I could already foresee that my health was beginning to give out. Even three years ago I had to cancel several performances,» he explained, adding that leaving audiences locked out of sold-out shows was among the most distressing aspects of his decline. «It's traumatic when three full halls of people end up standing outside the door."

Despite stepping away from Draamateater, Rekkor remains a fixture on the stage of Endla theatre in Pärnu, where he has worked for more than half his life. He graduated from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, commonly known as lavaka, in 1982, and has been associated with Endla ever since, making him one of the longest-serving actors at any Estonian institution.

Rekkor is widely regarded as one of the busiest and most beloved performers of his generation in Estonia. His willingness to speak so honestly about physical hardship and the realities of ageing in a demanding artistic profession has resonated with audiences and colleagues alike.