Review: Vihainen leski
In the theatre: The Angry Widow
The Helsinki City Theatre has been able to choose a performance for its repertoire that is sure to attract spectators. However, this is not a grand musical, but a play for adults with comedy, drama and love. Oh, and there is also music. It is a play based on Minna Lindgren’s novel The Angry Widow.
Ullis (Riitta Havukainen) finally feels free. Free from the shackles of marriage and family life. Her husband Olli (Vesa Wallgen) has died and the children are living on their own. It’s time to start a new life. Old friends Pike (Pia Runnakko) and Hellu (Eija Vilpas) rush to help. Suddenly, Ullis realizes that he is living in a hectic phase of his life. Nitro disco is full of music and hot yoga is where you can find your own sexuality. However, the children Susanna (Sanna-June Hyde) and Marko (Heikki Sankari) are shocked by their mother’s mental state. Especially when the smiles fade when there is a strange man in the childhood home (Kai Lehtinen). The mother must be quickly taken to an old people’s home somewhere. Ullis just doesn’t agree to his children’s suggestions. Besides, could she once again meet the interesting man she met unexpectedly, Kari Kirjosiivi (Kari Mattila).
Phew! What fireworks! Riitta Havukainen does an incredible job as Ullis, but so do the other actors in their own roles. I liked how the play included actors that I rarely see on stage. Riitta Havukainen, of course, but also Pia Runnakko, whom I am used to associating with Lillan and Swedish-language plays. I rarely go to see them, because I don’t trust my own Swedish skills. However, nowadays these could also be watched with Finnish subtitles. In any case, Pia Runnakko is amazing as Pike, who goes on like a bad teenage girl.
Kai Lehtinen was also fun to see on stage. During the intermission, I took part in a coffee table discussion where a woman told me that Kai Lehtinen had once lived in Kerava. I don’t know if it’s true, but he lived in the play. It had to be said that Kai Lehtinen was like the embodiment of a man from Kerava, so he had taken over the role well. I know the men of Kerava, if anyone, because I live in Kerava myself.
During the intermission, there was also a terrible buzz about who is a handsomely dressed man who flies in the sky and sings magnificently. It’s Kati Mattila! Now I have to say that I’ve seen Kari Mattila on stage quite a few times, but I’ve never thought before that the man has such a handsome voice. You can only imagine how I and the other women in the audience enjoyed what we saw and heard. Someone, perhaps director Kimmo Virtanen, has been able to pull the right strings when Mattila’s singing scenes have been polished.
I also have to mention that Marko’s children Pisara (Leena Rapola) and Sammal (Marjut Toivanen) were hilarious in their costumes. Sometimes there was even a problem of what would have happened if the twins were on stage at the same time as a bigger scene was going on. Of course, I didn’t want to lose anything, so I tried to keep an eye on the children while concentrating on watching and listening to other events on stage.
The set design of the play is confusingly fine. He has a home in Espoo, which is shaded by pine trees. There is a disco dance hall with flashing lights. There is a home in Töölö with old thick walls and arched windows. I also like how the pinewood set has been used in several scenes. The set design is by Katariina Kirjavainen. He has made a really impressive impression.
I’m not a young man anymore either, but when I watched the performance, I was definitely at the youngest end. Here is a play that has mobilized the elderly. Absolutely amazing! However, I would like the performance to be seen by many younger people as well. Perhaps it would give some perspective on how things should be handled as parents get older. You shouldn’t get involved in everything. Absolutely not.
When I started writing this post, I received a press release from the Helsinki City Theatre telling me that on Friday 22.11.2019 the broadcast of The Angry Widow will be broadcast live to 24 cinemas, cultural centres and monitoring centres around Sweden. The live broadcast will be carried out in cooperation with the Swedish National Touring Theatre Riksteatern and the Folkets Hus och Parker network. There still seem to be tickets available for tonight’s performance, so go there if you want to be involved in something different.
The performances of The Angry Widow will continue into next year. Here’s a great Christmas gift idea for someone who already has everything. This theatrical experience will be remembered for a long time.