Review: Väärennetty morsian

FINNISH-CHINESE PERFORMANCE SWEETLY TEASES THE NERVES OF LAUGHTER

When you combine old Chinese theatre and Finnish folk comedy, what does it create? Well, it’s great and fun to watch when it’s done skillfully.

The result of eight years of planning and preparation claims its place as a curiosity that can be laughed at.

From the wings of Chinese director Kong Xinyuan , a charming group of chirping characters flutter onto the stage of the Helsinki City Theatre, waving their greetings accompanied by ritual movements in true Chinese fashion.

The Fake Bride is based on an old Chinese folk tale in which greedy parents try to marry their children into suitable families. Of course, children fall in love with the wrong people, and that’s where the mess begins. The married man of the village is manoeuvring things with his own interests in mind and messing things up beforehand.

The characters disguise themselves and deceive themselves, and in the end they have to turn to Judge Qiao, who imposes punishments on each of them.

Dance-like performance embellishes bush comedy Yu

Gang’s set design is light and leaves room for movement, which is an important part of the performance as a whole. The wigs are designed according to traditional Peking opera and the costumes are colourfully Chinese.

Especially the dance part, where the fake bride is carried along hilly terrain, is delicious to watch. The movement language works throughout the performance. The music is mainly Peking opera music.

Risto Kaskilahti’s married man also acts as a narrator, who takes the story forward and reflects on his own position in the twists and turns of events. Kaskilahti is skilled at comedy and trotting between scheming families accompanied by his own plots.

The tension between the Ping family of doctors arises through the dynamics between Seppo Maijala’s excellent horse doctor and his cunning wife (Eeva-Liisa Haimelin).

Eija Vilpas, as the widow Suni, throws herself into lewdness as a brazen defender of her children. Pekka Huotari’s Shopkeeper Pei, who is worried about his son in love with the wrong girl, also takes his role in a stylishly comic direction.

Young lovers are given more room to move than talk.

All in all, the Finnish actors have been able to bend nicely to the oriental pattern. The performance is a great glimpse into a new kind of opportunity to produce laughter.