Review: Beljakovin talvi

ONE WINTER’S SNOW?

Helsinki City Theatre

The novelty responds briskly

In a social and state dartboard, you can get double hits with a single arrow. This is what Ilpo Tuomarila has said with his play Beljakov’s Winter, which has every chance of reaching a large audience not only in terms of numbers but also in terms of age range. Plays that delve into our recent history arouse curiosity, which is not a bad motive for seeking out the theatre.
The play takes place in the birth of Taistoism in 1968-71, as they appear in Kimmo Rentola’s book The Ghost of the Revolution. The movement of young people and the desire for change are not a phenomenon tied to a single time, it has been seen before and after parking on the far left, and common to all these phenomena is concern for the future of humanity. The fact that the clarification of “whose flag you carry” came to a head at the turn of the decades in question was a consequence of the state of ferment in Finnish society.

In this story , both the adventurous young people and the pure-headed aspirations and the harsh condemnation of the fathers’ way of thinking meet the need and ability to manipulate politicians who have been boiled in many broths. Alexei Stepanovich Belyakov, a party man who was the Soviet Union’s ambassador to Helsinki in 1970-71, President Kekkonen, Minister Leskinen and a group of young people striving for perfection in orthodoxy have been placed on each other.
According to the researcher, it would seem that in 1970 Kekkonen was about to relinquish power, but Belyakov’s suspicious incitement to appeal to Finnish youth made him reverse his decision. Kekkonen kept his position, Belyakov was allowed to leave.

Tuomarila’s play gets interesting tensions from the juxtaposition, which Milko Lehto uses inventively in his direction, there are no unnecessary stagnant phases, each person’s speeches

draw from the authentic soil.

Antti Litja does one of his good big roles. His Kekkonen conveys an image of a statesman who is already a little tired and bored, but who nevertheless retains his sarcastic humour and good knowledge of people.
When he senses new challenges, he becomes alert like an old circus horse. Litja rises to new dimensions when she humanizes her character, who finds herself in a take-or-leave-it situation and instantly analyzes the pros and cons – from the point of view of her country.

Aarno Sulkanen is convincing as Kekkonen’s advisor, a mining counsellor who sees beyond his nose and knows his friends inside out.
The role of the title character is played by Pekka Laiho, who performs it with admirable balance. Belyakov has the slick of a companion, an inquirer who takes advantage of friendship in a rude manner, and even a fear-inducer when necessary.

Pertti Koivula As a widow, it is a completely positive surprise. A politician who has to explain, there are weaknesses, but he is a well-intentioned, appealing, really lovable Finnish man. Comedian Koivula. Ooh!
The young actors Niko Saarela, Sami Uotila, Vuokko Hovatta, Marja Salo and Hannes Suominen beautifully portray friends with different personalities and backgrounds, each of whom fills their place in a small community, some as leaders, some as minions. Hesitation and rebellion against the new religion are limited to one-issue directives. Or luckily not completely. Somewhere in the background, pushed aside, there are also real feelings, love above all.
In the stage image, projections have a significant function, history brought to life.