Review: Vill ha mera
Want more, premiere at Lilla Teatern 14.10. Revue by: Anna-Lena Laurén, Stan Saanila, Anders Slotte and André Wickström. Director: Frej Lindqvist, set design: Jyrki Seppä, costumes: Elina Kolehmainen. On stage: Sixten Lundberg, Mia Renwall, Pia Runnakko, Sampo Sarkola, Pekka Strang, Birgitta Ulfsson and Joachim Wigelius.
Lilla Teatern in Helsinki celebrates its 70th anniversary with a newly written revue by Anna-Lena Laurén, Stan Saanila, Anders Slotte, and André Wickström. Fyrklövern is widely known from other productions both on stage, TV and on the radio. It may be that Anna-Lena Laurén, a journalist and author in everyday life, is the most surprising part of the lyricists. On the other hand, she has shown both a sharp tongue and a great sense of humor in the program Eftersnack, among other things.
So why a revue? It can be a bit silly and bring to mind various local history associations’ New Year’s ditto. Lilla Teatern has a revue tradition to fall back on that stretches all the way back to the 1940s. So on the one hand, the traditions speak for the idea of revues. In addition, the revue as an idea is an excellent way to comment on events on both a local and global level. Thus Lillan’s revue also begins with a tour of the world events so far in 2010. Not to forget various political mistakes in his home country.
What can and may you joke about in Lillan’s revue? Basically, about anything from Finland-Swedes, Russians, Estonians, Muslims to death and the theatre director of the Swedish Theatre. The lyricists have created a text that, with the help of the actors, makes the audience squirm with laughter at times. Even if the laughter sometimes almost gets stuck in my throat due to some balancing on the border between the palatable and the unpalatable.
It’s funniest when you make fun of yourself: the Finland-Swedes. You get to see festive elements of various cozy TV programs such as Min morgon. The revue makers also deliver an excellent way to make our minority grow: we convert to Islam and thus belong to a growing minority.
The priest in Joachim Wigelius’ version preaches the gospel of love by proposing marriage to everyone, whether you are homosexual or heterosexual, child or animal. Hufvudstadsbladet’s switchboard has been moved to India and is operated by Sampo Sarkola wearing a turban and with knowledge of Närpesian. One of the funniest elements is when the revue’s male actor with song and dance tells us what a real man should be like.
The revue’s female actors Birgitta Ulfsson, Pia Runnakko and Mia Renwall all turn out to be full-fledged comedians. Renwall also turned out to have an absolutely fantastic singing voice, which could have been used more during the evening. Birgitta Ulfsson’s macabre conversation with death about a respite until New Year’s Eve felt a bit daring, but if it’s done with a twinkle in the eye, it also works.
The revue’s set design is simple and easy to change to fit in with the different sketches. Director Frej Lindqvist has brought a relaxed and natural acting to the actors. The music by Arttu Takalo is not remarkable, but it fulfils its purpose, for the evening elegantly handled by pianist Kaisa Kulmala.
The final clip with the presentation of the Swedish Theatre’s next orienteering musical The Compass was a fast-paced conclusion and a little boot to the competing Swedish stage in Helsinki and its theatre director. Neat!