Review: På fullt allvar

SARKOLA AND STRANG SHINE IN LILLAN’S SPRING COMEDY

Wilde’s classic features unparalleled co-acting

Sampo Sarkola and
Pekka Strang forms a strong pair on the stage of Lilla Teatern. Their joint acting brings to mind the times when theatre was seen as the driving force
Asko Sarkola and
Tom Wentzel.
In Lillan’s spring comedy, young men are once again in the lead roles and perform their part sovereignly, for the umpteenth time, but the performance carries memories of the period of a strong ensemble of actors in general.
In addition to Tom Wentzel, the Old Guard will also be seen on stage
Birgitta Ulfsson.
The performance contains a touch of nostalgia, but above all, there is a strong presence and, most interestingly, a strong belief in the future. Especially the work of Strang and Sarkola exudes a forward-reaching taste for doing.
And not a single bit is left behind by those who play the brides of young men
Cécile Orblin and
Edith Holmström, who take over the stage like cakes: lightly, quickly and precisely.


Lilla Teatern’s fresh spring comedy exudes an airy and spacious atmosphere.

Oscar Wilde’s
The Importance of Being Earnest (1895) has been chosen as the best comedy in the world many times, but just as much praise can be given to the strong cast, whose energy is a natural condition for the realization of the play.
Due to the difficult-to-translate play on words, Wilde’s comedy has been performed in Finnish under names such as
My fiancé Ernest and
The most important thing is to be Authentic. In Lillan, the play has been named
Seriously.

However, the performance directed by Neil Hardwick does not talk about a person named Alvar, and the director has otherwise stuck to the British’s style-confident line. The pace is fast and the weights are right. The production of the play, which is more than a hundred years old, does not stumble over historical details, and demonstrating its modernity does not require separate underlining.


Creating the spirit of the performance also plays a key role in
With a visualization by Kirsti Kasnio. Kasnio, who is known in the fashion world, has created humorous costumes with good taste and studio work. The unconventional set design creates an effective spatial effect and brings out the actors who carry their costumes well.