Review: Myyrä

RECENT HISTORY IN SWING

Helsinki City Theatre’s Mole makes you laugh like a TV show

Helsinki City Theatre has brought a dramatised play based on Jari Tervo’s novel Mole to its Small Stage. The premiere proved that Tervo is a great humorist, whose colourful interpretations of recent history are also suitable for the theatre stage.

As a novel, Mole is extensive and multi-layered. As a dramaturg, Sami Keski-Vähälä has done a great job and has created a play for Mole .

Director Milko Lehto has had an almost similar challenge, as he has managed to fit the scenes that come at a fast pace in many different environments on the small stage of the City Theatre and right in front of the audience’s eyes.

This has also required a lot of thinking and simplification from set designer Markus Tsokkinen . In the play Mole, the spectator side and even the audience are often used as UKK’s dance partner.

Events and hilarious scenes in the City Theatre’s interpretation of Mole last for almost three hours. The interpretation is so entertaining that the time in the audience does not get long.

However, the play cannot be called a farce, even though there are plenty of farcical features. The scenes that take place in the spotlight on a small stage are reminiscent of traditional television sketch shows.

Antti Litja has a convincing interpretation as an older FAQ.

Matti Olavi Ranin rose to the same level as a middle-aged president. On the other hand, Hannes Suominen, as a young Kekkonen, had difficulties in his interpretation of the execution scene. Maybe jumping between roles requires too much. Toni Kamula coped well with his four roles.
As Supo detective Jura Karhu, Rauno Aaltonen had plenty of challenges. Something was missing in understanding the relationship between Karhu and UKK. In a way, it was left in the air.

Markku Huuhtamo’s role as the President’s aide-de-camp was convincing. Jouko Klemettilä Beria performed a dance, which was one of Mole’s peak moments. Tiina Pirhonen’s strong roles as the ambassador’s spouse and as the SKP’s lewd internal police officer was an excellent performance. Stalin pulled Pertti Koivula underground from Stalin’s image as a dictator.