Review: Sylvia
In the theatre: Sylvia
On Wednesday there was something nice to look forward to again. In the evening, I headed towards Studio Pasila and Sylvia. The Helsinki City Theatre has brought to the stage the American A. R. Gurney’s Sylvia (1995), which premiered at Studio Pasila on 6 April, so it is a fairly recent play.
Sylvia is a story about a middle-aged couple whose children have gone out into the world. Greg (Jari Pehkonen) finds a dog, Sylvia (Elina Aalto), in a nearby park, who instantly becomes the center of his life. His wife Kate (Heidi Herala) does not digest the dog. Kate thinks that just when they have the doors open for quality time together with chamber orchestra nights and great restaurant dinners, a dog doesn’t fit into that pattern. Greg disagrees. Sylvia is a gift from God to a man who is bored with his work, which he will not give up. Greg and Kate engage in a power struggle that seems to end. Sylvia worships Greg and Greg worships Sylvia. Is Kate the third wheel of marriage? The events progress to the point where the couple is forced to resort to the help of a relationship therapist.
Jari Pehkonen, who plays Greg, is very convincing. A typical middle-aged man who doesn’t see any problem in Sylvia. After all, life goes on as before. The man pulls the role nicely. Heidi Herala as Kate is brilliant. A woman’s life is falling apart, and she can’t hold the pieces together. Herala empathizes with her role so well that even the viewer can feel the woman’s pain inside. What happens when the rug is pulled out from under your feet? What about Sylvia? Elina Aalto has plunged into the dog’s skin in a great way. Gestures and fussing are very typical for dogs. It felt like the dog was present all the time, as of course it always is in a normal dog family. In other words, Aalto conquered the entire stage with his presence and fine professionalism.
Pertti Koivula plays a man whom Greg meets at the dog park. The man has a Rottweiler and it also shows in the man’s appearance. Koivula’s role is delicious. The man acts tough, but at some point even the toughest man gets sensitive. Koivula is an actor whose presence on stage instinctively makes the corners of the viewer’s mouth rise upwards. Exciting fun to watch. Aino Seppo has a dual role in Sylvia. Seppo plays Kate’s friend Phyllis and a relationship therapist. Although Aino Seppo is a well-known Finnish actress, I don’t remember seeing her on stage many times. However, Seppo is really skilled. Aino Seppo pulled both roles a little overboard in a way that befits a comedy. Perhaps the best scene was when Sylvia is jumping against Phyllis, Aino Seppo manages to conjure up a combination of disgust and fear on Phyllis’s face suddenly.
Sylvia is a very functional play. The director has made the actors show their best on stage. The set design and lighting are well executed. Most of the stage was taken up by the couple’s apartment, but a small part of the dog park’s green had also been comfortably accommodated on the stage. The costumes and camouflage were also good. Special mention should be given to the couple’s therapist’s glasses. Wow, what glasses! I liked it.
Sylvia is a triangle drama within the framework of comedy. Even though the main character of the play is a dog, I couldn’t help but feel a sting inside. There is a cat in our household that controls our lives in many ways. Perhaps the worst thing is when in the event of a dispute, me and the man who lives here talk to each other through the cat. That is not exactly healthy either, but I can be absolutely sure that we are not the only adults in Finland who behave like this. Sylvia is a very truthful and perceptive play with amusing details. Anyone in a relationship can happen like Sylvia.
I recommend Sylvia especially to dog lovers, but the play is also suitable for anyone who needs a break from everyday life.