Review: Hissvägraren

AN HOUR AND A HALF OF CAPTIVATING PÖYSTI
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Mustiin pukeutunut vanheneva näyttelijä astuu näyttämölle, jossa punaisten verhojen raosta pilkistää lavasteista riisuttu näyttämö. Lavalla on näyttelijän seurana ainoastaan tuoli, pöytä, vaaleanpunainen ruusu ja esityksen käsikirjoitus.

Lasse Pöysti conquers the stage of Lilla Teatern with his charisma and keeps the audience in their grip throughout his one-and-a-half-hour monologue. Bengt Ahlfors has written and directed the story of a man from Töölö and an elevator specifically for Pöysti. All other elements of the performance have been reduced to almost nothing, and the space is left to the actor.

Pöysti’s acting quality and charm seem to be the reason and starting point of the entire performance, and at the same time its content.

Lonely Man and Elevator

The monologue is about a man who has lived in the same house all his life and his special relationship with the building’s elevator. The closest ones, the mother and the dog, have died. Schoolmates and co-workers have disappeared somewhere. The man has no one to talk to. No one to come to his funeral. A mysterious woman sneaks into the story from around many corners. There is light in loneliness.

No more about the story. Those heading to Lillan will hear who Enok is, why Grace Kelly plays such a significant role in the life of a man from Töölö and why the dog stopped growling one morning.

At least in the third performance I saw, Pöysti is in tune. Pulling through a one-and-a-half-hour one-man show with honor is a tough job for any performer. A monologue is a difficult genre, as Pöysti says at the beginning of the performance.

The storyteller enjoys

Ahlfors’ text continues to play between representation and creating an illusion. The audience is reminded that we are in the theatre and that Pöysti is not a lonely man, but tells a story about a man and his life.

This meta-theatrical play does not rise to a very high level, at most it entertains the audience and offers Pöysti additional space to play with his audience.

Dramaturgically, the performance proceeds safely for the performer. Pöysti can return to the text without any worries and take time for himself. Building the performance on Pöysti’s familiar and enjoyable role as a natural storyteller also brings problems.

Ahlfors’ text tells a dark story of lonely elderly people whom no one misses. Pöysti’s captivating zest for life and warmth mask the character’s tragedy. Pöysti tells the story of a man talking to the elevator, and does not pretend to be this man.