Review: Ihmisen osa

The author buys a person’s life story

Kari Hotakainen’s novel, published in 2009, has turned into an unusually successful stage work in Raila Leppäkoski’s treatment, and thanks to Ritva Valkama, who plays the lead role, the result can be considered one of Helsinki’s early spring events.

Hotakainen’s comedy represents the more serious side of the genre. The role of the story’s protagonist, Salme Malmikunnas, offers yet another excellent bravura to Ritva Valkama, one of our most significant female comedians, and continues the series of her brilliant portraits seen in KT.

The work that grows denser scene by scene is definitely also one of director Raila Leppäkoski’s best achievements in recent years. It’s not completely flawless, but this time those little blemishes won’t ruin the whole.

The acting team of Leppäkoski, who also adapted the work, is absolutely amazing in the best style. Sanna-Kaisa Palo and Armi Toivanen play the daughters of yarn merchant Salmi with a magical touch, and Palo plays the mother, perhaps even reaching one of the finest works of her entire career.

Jaakko Saariluoma is the son of the family with almost as convincing piety. Correspondingly, Leena Uotila has more parts than fingers, but despite this, some of those wonderful portraits are almost miniature masterpieces when outlined in small strokes.

Important supporting roles have been reserved for Kari-Pekka Toivonen (an Audi man guilty of running over a child), Aslak Mamadou (a bus driver who succumbs to violence) and Teemu Palosaari, who plays the author, whose work performance is increased by the considerable number of small roles, like Uotila. Even though there are absolutely horrible things in the work, it is still characterized by its own kind of humour, empathy and warmth.

Through the stages of the strait, it also tells about the post-war period in our country. No wonder the audience was completely sold after the premiere and the applause was huge.