Review: Ne kahdeksan valittua
NOT GOOD OR BAD, BUT PEOPLE
Heikki Ylikangas’s The Eight Chosen Ones is the theatre of strong men
When every other actor has to try their words a little at the premiere, you know in the audience that things are not quite right yet.
The audience was not disturbed by the dating. Rarely has there been such an intense and listening peace in the auditorium of a city theatre or any theatre as there was during Heikki Ylikangas‘ performance of The Eight Chosen Ones. The charged interpretation was directed by Milko Lehto.
Towards the end, the story, which almost developed into an exciting one, carried me away. Even the play’s lessons, the somewhat lecture-like explanatory sequences, did not disturb the viewer’s concentration. In that way, the evening was really a success.
Perhaps the theme of forgiveness included in the work itself is also of interest to today’s viewers, as are its basics. When the play’s Risto Ryti pardons Kerttu Nuorteva, who has been arrested as a detainee and sentenced to death, the motive hits sharply both then and perhaps even today.
You can’t talk about guilt if you haven’t had any alternatives. Ryti’s definition frees Kerttu Nuorteva, a Soviet agent trained as a spy under the threat of blackmail. With the same sentence, Ryti also absolves himself of guilt for the mass extradition of eight Jews, among other things. Seven of them were eaten by mass destruction in the concentration camp.
For the same reasons specified in the play, we modern viewers are probably ready to pardon those who participated in the Finnish process at the time. Or are we? That is what the viewer should ask themselves.
However, the commissioned play, built on the basis of Ylikangas’s own research and, among other things, information from Elina Sana’s book Luovutetut, has some difficulties with itself. The title of the play is also misleading in the sense that these chosen ones are hardly encountered.
A fairly clean salon play has been written, depicting decision-making. Discussions are available in offices, restaurants and who knows what cabinets. There is even room for romance, but fortunately not to the point of a princess fairy tale. For many, the surprising final twist of the Burst of Love changes everything.
The Germans in the performance are pretty one-level jerks. Even domestic heroes or heroines have been left with aftertastes of the cliché.
The riddle of the fate of the Jews in the world is approached in an enterprising way, also thanks to Tiia Louste and especially Aarno Sulkanen , who plays Abraham Stiller. You don’t fall for anything unambiguous, as is wise.
Ylikangas has diligently eliminated the historical events and characters of the extradition process, but the play has also been left with the stamp of being obligatory.
There are roles that are present precisely because of the historical, not the necessity required by the play. For this reason, the roles are also of varying strength, but the strongest ones are definitely full stuff.
Kari Mattila does a strong job as Valpo’s Arno Anthon, a decision-maker who agrees to necessity. Mattila acts out his character’s train of thought in a controlled and clear manner, but so does Heikki Sankari as Minister of the Interior Horell and, in particular, Hannu Lauri in the role of Risto Ryti. The amnesty scene towards the end is excellent. Thanks for that also go to Jari Pehkonen, who plays Paavo Kastari who falls in love with the desanti.
As Kerttu Nuorteva, Vuokko Hovatta is enduring pathetic with her dull glances, while Leena Uotila in the smallish role of Hella Wuolijoki is almost funny. Perhaps a little lightening was needed for the harsh story.
Milko Lehto has been a very good director for this particular play. The young man makes attitudeless, even cool theatre in a good way. The performance shows rather than claims. The director does not talk about the good and the bad. The performance is about people. It is just right for this text.
Maija Pekkanen’s costumes are aptly faithful to the time, perhaps also Mimmi Resman’s set design in its brownish ugliness.