Review: Sydänmaa

LOST GENERATIONS

Suddenly, there is a plethora of exciting, newly written Finnish
drama that handles, dissects and deconstructs Finnish
life and community life in the theatres of Helsinki. Recently,
Pirkko Saisio’s multifaceted interpretation of reification in
Today’s Society, Error premiered at the National Theatre. Pasi
Lampela’s Tiimi delved into the ego-tripping of the 1980s
at the Helsinki City Theatre. Kari Hotakainen’s Punahukka is
aktuell på Kom-teatern, Mies kommer – oletko valmi på
Forging. And soon there will be the premiere of Mika Myllyaho’s
Panic at Ryhmäteatteri. At Q-teatteri, the Four Road will appear
up, at Avoimet Ovet Helene and at Teatteri Jurkkas Naisten
Drink.

A new acquaintance is Ari-Pekka Lahti , who
cavalcade, experimental drama Sydänmaa Writes
in Finnish drama literature. In a very gloomy,
socio-political and critical manner, with elements of irony
and parody, Ari-Pekka Lahti addresses the situation of the losers, the
the fate of the poor in Kokkola. At the same time, this includes:
prejudices and clichés about all things Finnish and Finnishness
which is partly deconstructed but also given a tragic relief.

The director, Heidi Räsänen , also takes advantage of it
ironic-parodic element in his directorial interpretation, where
The role holders often step out of their roles, comments
events, their own reactions, disappointments and works
as a storyteller. The main narrator is the play’s son in the family
that is depicted. In addition, the fictitious son, engaged
interpreted by Jarkko Lahti, also a playwright. The Son and
his sister, in Laura Birn’s strongly integrated interpretation,
break out of a stagnant, religiously indoctrinated life in
Kokkola and travel to Helsinki, which also does not show
considered to be some kind of paradise. The father, in Martti Suosalo’s
tragicomic interpretation, has become an alcoholic. Heidi Herala
is the mischievous mother, who vacillates between
fundamentalist religion and a new man with a mink farm.

An Ostrobothnian dialect is spoken in the play, which further
marks the overridden affiliation.

There is hope in time between everything from the crises of 1918 to
The life of a mink farmer during the second half of the 20th century. There is a
great-grandfather, a grandfather who belonged to the Reds, intensely
chanting priests and soldiers from the White side. Karmo
Mendes ‘ ingenious décor, a small log cabin that eventually
is getting bigger and bigger, is another ironic element in the
tragic family fate that is depicted.