Review: Juoruja

Gossip
Neil Simon


Life would be boring if a person didn’t sometimes completely screw up. And even after the mess, manage to get your friends into the same insane delusion. Neil Simon has a knack for writing all of that into a play and making the actors come to life in such a way that the audience occasionally praises the fact that they don’t have to be part of that madness.

On the big stage of the City Theatre, there will be a real farce and spectacle. Living in the glamour and superficiality of the 1980s, the cream of the city is represented by couples whose relationship would leave something to be desired. We live in gossip and gossip whose veracity doesn’t matter much anymore in this mess.

It all starts with the host couple’s 10th wedding anniversary party. The master shoots himself in the ear, the mistress is nowhere to be seen, and even the servants have left the scene. The first couple to arrive tries to cover up and lie about the course of events to the next guests until lies, gossip and the police meet the whole group.

On stage, they know the noble art of comedy. Especially Jari Pehkonen’s Lenny, who has a neck problem, and Miina Turunen’s Claire, who plays his wife, are masters of timing. Sari Siikander knows how to be the queen of blondes and Pia Runnakko as the goofy Cookie bursts out her few words with skill.

Under Neil Hardwick’s direction, the whole crew is in balance with the text and acting. Especially after halftime, when the pace gets crazy, the actors’ timing works perfectly.