Review: Vaimoni on toista maata

Honey, Honey and Hanistan

This is the starting point: a young couple is getting married and is completely in love. We are in the honey, honey phase. Another couple comes to visit and has a furious argument going on, which of course cannot really be shown to the hosts.

From there, events start to unfold. Suddenly, a brand new state of Hanistan appears on the world map, the language of which is spoken fluently by the visiting girlfriend. It’s strange that it can’t be found on the map. Well, the old map, of course.

Of course, the former poor Soviet state must be helped. For example, the cuckoo clock is a very suitable donation of development aid. But problems arise in the relationship between the lovers when the Eiffel Tower in the snowfall threatens to end up in Hanistan as well…

Developing a farce in a pinch

This is the case in the farce of the French Gilles Dyrek (Venise sous la neige). Already at the beginning of the play, it is clear that Dyrek has the development of the farce at his fingertips. The Auditorium bursts into a howl soon and it continues for the whole hour and a half.

Of course, Dyrek cheaply such benevolent fools who believe only good in everything like a young idealistic couple. All kinds of bourgeois stuff also end up in the same washing tub, according to which it is wonderful when an uncle or someone performs Genghis Khan at a wedding. But just as well, the tip of the criticism hits the other couple’s contemptuous and merciless attitude towards naïve world healers.

Skilfully planted in Finland

The whole small group of Lillan does their best to develop the farce. Director Arn-Henrik Blomqvist had made a Swedish-language direction of the same play last autumn in Lillan. The story has been skilfully planted in Finnish conditions, all the way to the young couple’s home (set design and costumes by Kaisa Rasila). The original snowy Venice in the story has been replaced by the Eiffel Tower, and even the Puijo Tower is included in the picture. Blomqvist’s direction keeps the tempo up just right, but not excessively, but as a controlled stir.

Of the acting quartet, Helena Vierikko and Sampo Sarkola play the couple’s courtship in a thrillingly disgusting way. You have to wonder if that young love was like that back in the day. Well, I guess it was, shame admits. And a colossal quarrel easily arises from the wrong word for the other side.

Jonna Järnefelt as a “foreigner” girlfriend performs her role with skill. Even the new language sounds quite believable in his mouth. Especially the desperate expressions on his and Kari-Pekka Toivonen’s faces are worth seeing: how to get out of this mess with honor. Dyrek solves it quickly and the audience leaves the theatre giggling.

Making comedy, and especially farce, is a difficult genre of theatre. For once, here’s a comedy that really makes you laugh, and laughter if anything is good for the soul and body.