Review: Kirsikkatarha
The infamous beautiful Cherry Orchard
I shouldn’t start this post by asking, what happens when a play is directed by a man whose own parents are in the play’s acting group? I’m still asking because the end result is great and touching to look at. And of course, it is not thanks to this one family, but to the entire working group. Great execution. The work is The Cherry Orchard, which is Anton Chekhov’s last play, performed on the main stage of the Helsinki City Theatre.
Ranevskaya (Heidi Herala) returns to her homestead from France, where she has spent several years. The manor is about to go under the hammer of an auction if the Ranevskaya family does not manage to raise money and pay off their debts. Lopahin’s (Chike Ohanwe) father and grandfather have been employed by the house as slaves. Lopahin has moved on with his life and he tries to help the family by advising them on what should be done to preserve the manor. Advice is not listened to. What could a grown up son of slaves who were in the service of the family know about financial matters? It is better to live in the past or go crazy with the bubbling and dancing of a sparkling drink. The present is a frightening shadow in life.
Oh Heidi Herala, what a role you do! Emotions move from one extreme to the other. You live in the past and think about your dead little boy. You are ready to give your last gold coin to a beggar because you are human. At the same time, you forget about your own family’s plight and the present. Emilia Sinisalo in the role of Varja, Ranevskaya’s adopted daughter, is powerful. The woman is aware of the problems at the manor and would like to put the cat on the table, but she is not listened to. Varja’s role is difficult in the midst of all the joking and longing. Chike Ohanwe is convincing as Lopahin. The man stands with his feet firmly on the ground, but cannot understand why the family does not want to listen to his reasonable suggestion.
Trofimov is a man who is already old, but as a student he is eternal. Tommi Eronen’s performance as Trofimov improves as the play progresses. The man empathizes with his role in a great way. Sonja Kuittinen is Ranevskaya’s daughter Anja. Kuittinen is lively and boisterous, just like a 17-year-old girl. I especially liked Kuittinen’s empathy in one of the longer monologue sections. It was great to listen to. The Cherry Orchard has brilliant actors. I also have to mention Unto Nuora as an endearing tail-wagging dog and Eero “Jepihodov” Saarinen’s amazing rock star moovs.
The cherry orchard is beautiful. The incredibly impressive lights work with the sets. Especially the petrol-green sky in the first half is magnificent. After the intermission, the audience is pampered with a golden wall, on which it is good to reflect the lights and glitter of the dance. A proper light show. Crystal chandeliers create a great atmosphere and their own sparkle. In addition to all this beauty, viewers are treated to a string quartet that is sure to enchant every viewer. Professional musicians know how to take their audience, but still give space to the play.
Yes, the director mentioned at the beginning of the post is Lauri Maijala. Everyone can think for themselves what it’s like to be a parent if their own son is guiding them. It would also have been interesting to be a fly on the ceiling watching the training sessions, how to act in such a frenzy. In any case, the result is first-class. I already mentioned the great lights, for which I have to thank Mika Ijänen, who has been responsible for the lighting design. Janne Vasama, on the other hand, has been responsible for the set design.
The cherry orchard is a sadly beautiful tragedy. There is also comedy in the play, but the story is sad in its deeper essence. I warmly recommend the Cherry Orchard to lovers of traditional theatre. A classic work that still lives on.