Review: Mannerheim ja saksalainen suudelma

Mannerheim and the German Kiss convinces at the Helsinki City Theatre

The most recent premiere at the Helsinki City Theatre was on Wednesday 25 October 2017, when the play Mannerheim and the German Kiss opened on the big stage.

Someone may question why yet another story about Mannerheim and the Finnish wars, as these have come from all corners in this centenary year of independence. Mannerheim’s significance to Finland’s history and independence is undeniable, at least in my mind, so a well-made review of the Marshal’s relations with the Germans is more than appropriate.

The play Mannerheim and the German Kiss is based on the recently published book of the same name by Juha Vakkuri, who won an award for his books on Africa, which was also on sale in the foyer of the theatre.

The work for the stage has been directed and adapted by Kari Heiskanen, from whom I have learned to expect and receive uncompromising professionalism and, above all, a clear vision. This is also the case now. The story of the play begins with the execution of the Red prisoners and takes the audience confidently and clearly from 1918 to the final moments of the Continuation War. Everything is examined through Mannerheim’s cosmopolitan glasses, he has perspective and a clear will on how an independent nation should act. It cannot include acting as a vassal of the Germans.

“Mannerheim and the German Kiss depicts the moments when Finland was at a crossroads and faced with an uncertain future, it had to choose a path to follow. At moments like this, the personal qualities of leaders, their strengths and weaknesses come to the fore,” said Kari Heiskanen.

Mannerheim and the German Kiss is an excellent and concise history lesson. The events that are most significant for the fate of Mannerheim and Finland have been selected for the stage, and they are presented in clear chronological order. Each new person arrives on stage with a “business card”, i.e. the person’s basic information is projected on the screen, so that there is no need to wonder who the hell that General Waldemar Erfurth or Colonel Aladár Paasonen was.

Mannerheim’s one-on-one conversations with Hjalmar Linder, Kitty Linder or Herbert Hoover are highlighted. In other respects, too, they move in a close circle, the war is examined from the headquarters, and the information that Mannerheim has been able to use is given. The pace of Mannerheim is constantly being followed, which influenced his decision-making, what the situation looked like in Mannerheim’s eyes.

Such a factual play could be really numbing, and I saw such a Mannerheim play at the summer theatre last summer. Mannerheim and the German kiss, on the other hand, is fascinating and holds a firm grip. Intermission seemed to come too soon, as I was so excited to follow Mannerheim’s steps in Europe.

Of course, a large part of the enjoyability of the play is made by the cast, who, led by Kari Heiskanen, do their best. Asko Sarkola plays a hugely challenging role as Mannerheim, which he has played before. In recent years, I’ve seen Sarkola in a women’s costume or some other farce role, and those performances haven’t particularly thrilled me. Now, in my opinion, he succeeds well as Mannerheim, he does the role in a controlled and restrained manner, brings out the person behind the legend. Especially towards the end of the play, Sarkola makes a touching, ageing Mannerheim.

Finnish and German statesmen and soldiers are portrayed by Pertti Sveholm, Unto Nuora, Kari Mattila, Antti Timonen, Matti Olavi Ranin, Matti Rasila, Eero Saarinen and Tommi Rantamäki. To the auditorium, you could see that this ensemble is a team, everyone took their tasks seriously, and no one went solo. The whole “company” took the story nicely in one direction and there was a strong feeling that the play was well finished already at the premiere. All the men had at least a double role in the play.

There were also women on stage, but neither his wife Anastasia Mannerheim nor his love interest Kitty Linder emerged as more than a small subplot in Mannerheim’s mind. The female roles are played by Kirsi Karlenius, Kaisa Torkkel and Helena Haaranen.

I warmly recommend the play Mannerheim and the German Kiss. It is elegant and unpretentious, but still touching. Also worth mentioning is the successful set design by Antti Mattila and the lighting design by Mika Ijäs. I was left wondering if the play would be even more impressive on a small stage. On the other hand, the big stage also symbolizes how big the questions of existence are wrestled with in the story.

I have one wish. Take a person under the age of thirty as your theatre companion, to whom the facts of the play may be completely unknown. It is important to know one’s history, of course the great years of peace, but also all the things that past generations have done for Finland for the sake of peace.