Review: Jeminan monta elämää
“Jemina’s Many Lives” was awarded as the Theatre Act of the Year 2012 and the award criteria mention the following: “Jemina updates the best traditions of dance, theatre, stand-up and performance”. At the request of the audience, the show has made a comeback (even a few times) and I finally got to step into the world of Jemina!
The auditorium was divided into three parts, and I was able to sit on a nice throne-like chair on the side of the stage. I haven’t sat in such a comfortable chair in a long time! From there, you could easily follow the expressions of the larger audience and how well the audience lived in this spectacle.
This was part of the “critic’s glasses home” series, because right from the start it seemed like an impossible idea to write about this in some kind of critical tone. The comfortably sinking chair, where it was easy to sit and enjoy what you saw and experienced, probably also played a role. With a permanent smile on my face, I watched Jemina go on stage. I was reminded of the birthday card my mother had received in the past, which had a fine lady drawn on the cover with her pink plumage and the text “What a charm, what a taste, what a look… And what an age!”
Jemina is accompanied by e.g. the swimming pool to be shy, Meryl Streep on Silent Bridges and the audience also gets involved in the dance scenes. The bra rotation was especially memorable! One cannot help but admire Jyrki Karttunen’s ability to throw himself into it, his adaptability and charisma. Such captivating bowling and butt-twirling has not been seen anywhere for a long time.
There is no intermission at all, but a short respite is given and an egg timer is set to ring for five minutes. There are various handbags hung on the backs of the seats, the contents of which you can explore and lo and behold, there are various sweets there! So let’s shut up and the bags will be passed from one viewer to another. Somehow there is an exciting “communal” feeling in the stands, the unnecessary pomp is gone and the yummy distribution makes you talk to even a stranger next to you. When the bell rings, the last treats are crunched into the pockets and the performance continues…
At the opening of the City Theatre’s autumn season last year, I saw a small grip of Jemina’s performance, and it completely enchanted me. Now I watched the same scene up close. The character is standing on a stool, the spotlight is licking the almost naked body and wow, the movements and especially the movement paths of the hands. It’s good that I remembered to breathe, so great to watch and I would have watched it for a long time. Anyway, I’m starting to become a big friend of dance theatre at a good pace, and it doesn’t feel bad at all!
Jemina will continue her adventures at least in January. I recommend booking a seat for this flight, that’s how good the rides are…
Jemina gets a strong four stars ****.
ps. My expectations were rewarded and my keen eyes seem to have spotted at least a couple of particularly stylish ladies in the stands, whose courage I always admire.