Review: Missä kuljimme kerran

War breaks both the worker and the bourgeoisie

Kjell Westön The Finlandia Prize-winning masterpiece Where We Walked Once Upon a Time tells the story of the fates of many people. They are united by the time in which they live and the city in which they live, they travel.

Westö depicts the bourgeoisie and working class of Helsinki, who live in faith in the future and in the frenzy of internationalisation, until the civil war cruelly interrupts their dreams.
Westö’s novel has several themes, but the impact of war, especially the Civil War, on people is very important. Kari Heiskanen has dramatised Westö’s novel and directed his interpretation for the big stage of the Helsinki City Theatre.

The result is impressive, and Heiskanen must also be thanked for acting quickly: the novel was not published until 2006.

Heiskanen has written dialogue, added events, removed something, but the interpretation is very faithful to the original work. Both the novel and the play are fresco-like; a metaphor for this in the texts is that the central person, Eccu Widing, acts as a photographer.

Heiskanen directs precisely, and the rhythm and use of the big stage are impeccable. The work has been made easier by a fine ensemble: Pekka Valkeejärvi, Leena Rapola, Niko Saarela, Vuokko Hovatta, Eero Aho ̧ Ursula Salo, in fact, all of them act brilliantly. One cannot fail to mention the wonderful Pekka Huotari as a truly obnoxious Cedi Lilliehjelmi.


Where We Once Walked is not only a description of Helsinki and class society, but also a story about the development of characters. The most touching depiction of the play adaptation is the relationship between the cynical humanist Ivar Grandell (Valkeejärvi) and the declining actress Henriette Hultqvist (Rapola).

By cutting out a little more from many ingredients, I think Heiskanen could have also brought out Lucie Lilliehjelm’s (Hovatta) relationship with Allu Kajander (Saarela) and Lucie Lilliehjelm’s fascinating person in general. Now, in addition to Ivar Grandell, the focus is on Eccu Widing (Aho) in particular – for a reason, of course, that’s why his breakdown is touching.

As Eccu Widing’s decadence deepens, the stage also features the finest cocaine use scene imaginable.