Review: Missä kuljimme kerran
FOR FINNS, PAST AND FUTURE
Where we once walked rolls over with speed and power – its abundance is breathless and its sensitivity is harrowing.
Where We Once Walked describes the life of Finns in different social classes, from the time of the Civil War through the joyful 20th century through prohibition and the depression of the 30s to the dawn of the Winter War. An important role is played by the centre of events, Helsinki. The city represents change and permanence, it excites people, but it also provides protection.
After reading Kjell Westö’s book, it is difficult to watch the play in isolation from the book. Even if you have just read the author’s own opinion in the theatre’s customer magazine: “Theatre is a magical art form in which completely different rules apply than in literature. Theatre cannot be the illustration of a book.”
No one is spared
The play gets off to a fast start. Episode after episode flashes across the stage with photographic speed and leaves the viewer struggling to follow suit. You don’t have time to understand what’s going on.
Understanding comes later, in the play as a whole. The horrors of the Civil War presented at the beginning seem to happen to the characters in the play as well as to the spectators. However, the traces haunt him throughout his life, no one is spared.
The main characters are each extreme examples in their own genre. Eccu Widing, the photographer son of a wealthy family, is an insecure wanderer whose desire to believe in himself is not enough. Eero Aho manages to convey Eccu’s crumbling in a harrowing way with his gestures and movement, which is like an endless queue of starts.
Eccu crumbles while his friend and opposite, Cedi Lilliehjelm, burns in his own white fervor. Pekka Huotari Cedina, in her aggressive rage, paces very convincingly all the way to the corner of Yrjönkatu and Bulevardi where her head goes crazy.
For us or against us?
Despite the pity aroused by Eccu, the most sympathetic character is probably the journalist and teacher Ivar Grandell, in whose role Pekka Valkeejärvi feels at home. At a time when everyone is forced to choose their side, Ivar wants to look at things on a philosophical level. It is Ivar who tries to tell his rich friends what life is like for the poorest.
As a counterbalance to his dark fates, Ivar finds love with actress Henriette Hultqvist (Leena Rapola). Ivar and Henriette’s tender scene in Merikanto’s Miss’ rowing in the wind is one of the few parts of the play where there is a real sense of happiness.
Modern women
Vuokko Hovatan Lucie is beautiful and brilliant, brave and intelligent. Lucie’s modern role as a woman can be seen in her relationship with the working-class footballer Allu. Originally, Lucie wants Allu because he is handsome and sexy. When Allu abandons her, Lucie sarcastically states that at least they tried to love across class boundaries during this difficult time. Niko Saarela Allu brings positive power and enthusiasm to the play.
Another modern woman in the play is Mandi Salin, a worker who dreams of a better life. Ursula Salo keeps Mandi very neatly in her shoes as an independent woman with a goal. So no drinks in Eccu’s studio after work.
However, as Allu’s wife, Mandi understands her place in society and sums up the humble hope and belief of a couple of future generations of workers by saying: If we just work, there will be something left for the poor as well! Did Mandi’s dreams go to waste when she ended up as a working-class wife? At least he advanced civilization by proving that even a worker can study languages.
Much remains to be considered
The description of this period cannot be imagined without Väinö Linna, and Aarno Sulkanen as the punk Halme brings a nice reference to Koskela’s Akseli. However, Westö and Heiskanen’s description of the time is quite far from that of Linna and Laine.
The melancholic general appearance of the play is summed up in the Helsinki City Museum’s Helsinki photographs projected onto the stage. The black-and-white street views with the people of that time and the wistful music combined with them are like a respectful farewell to the past. Not even furious rejoicing can take away the wistfulness.
It may be that the play Where We Walked Once did not give the opportunity to empathize with the world and emotions of the characters as well as Westö’s book. There are a lot of events in the play and they seem to roll over at a rapid pace. Kari Heiskanen has succeeded in tying up the quantity convincingly. The viewer’s interest does not wane for a moment, and even though it feels like there is too much here, they still want more.
The episodes rise to their size in Katariina Kirjavainen’s simplified set design, and when the music is glowing with Merikanto and Aleksis Kivi, the atmosphere rises to downright patriotic proportions. The harrowing scene at the end, where Eccu tries in vain to make contact with his son, restores the level of an individual person.
The reasoning of causes and consequences is left for later, and there is a lot to think about: an entire era.