Review: Forever Young

Ramp panthers loose

It’s hard to believe that Forever Young wasn’t originally made for Finland, in Finnish and commissioned by the Helsinki City Theatre. That is how ingeniously the musical comedy by the Swiss Erik Gedeon has been translated into Finnish by dramaturg Sanna Niemeläinen and localized by director Heikki Sankari .

Not much can be revealed about the plot, but the starting point is a delicacy: the actors of the performance play themselves in the future, a few decades from now. By then, most of the familiar and beloved colleagues will already be shining on heavenly stages, but the tenacious six will spend their retirement days on the old Arena stage on Hämeentie, which has been converted into a service home for actors.

The audience was taken with a confident grip at the premiere. It’s as if the whole bunch had been running the same show for years. The timing and interplay of Vuokko Hovatta, Pertti Koivula, Leenamari Unho and Juha Jokela was shockingly seamless and effortless.

Separately, I want to highlight Vappu Nalbantoglu’s strict nurse, who curbs her feisty nurses while humming Aqua’s Barbie Girl, and Mikko Vihma’s high-smoking retired rocker, who has been given the top number of the evening. Messed up Mombasa is a potpourri that asks for virtuoso skill and interpretation, and is composed of so many songs that you can’t keep up.

The show was also kicked forward by other hits from past decades performed by the actor six, alone or together, such as the Bee Gees’ Stayin’ Alive, Irwin’s Just Life and Forever Young – Alphaville’s Rambling, familiar to those who lived their youth in a saucepan. The music will burst into the air juicy live with songs and playing under the direction of pianist-conductor Tuomas Kesälä , spiced up with a hefty rhythm tape if necessary.

Forever Young also helps the viewer to make deals with their upcoming age crisis – which for some is already pushing on. The message of the performance is hopeful and clear: we only have one life, let’s not waste it, let’s live it to the fullest. The ravages of time gnaw away at everyone equally, so aging should be taken with humor, there is nothing else you can do here. Forever Young also reminds us that you should start enjoying life well in advance – just to be on the safe side.

As good news, it should be added that HKT’s boisterously wistful musical comedy will continue its performances after the premiere after becoming a theatre box office magnet in the autumn season

Forever Young premieres on the Arena stage of the Helsinki City Theatre on 7.3.2024