Review: Veljeni Leijonamieli
My Brother Lion’s Heart – A Beloved Fairy Tale Gets the Treatment It Deserves, Creativity and Ingenuity at the Helsinki City Theatre
The beloved fairy tale My Brother Lionheart highlights great themes from the afterlife to selflessness. Would you be willing to die for someone else, or face your fear in the face of the impossible?
One of Astrid Lindgren’s most beloved and touching fairy tales, My Brother Lionheart, deals with death, brotherly love, morality and overcoming fears in a way that speaks to generations after generations. It also features horses, a dragon and battles – what a suitable and challenging subject for theatre! The story, which has often been seen on stage, has now made it to the big stage of the Helsinki City Theatre.
10-year-old Kaarle, aka Korppu, is seriously ill and bedridden. His older brother, the kind-hearted Joonatan, is not only a go-getter firecracker, but also Korpu’s idol and best friend. In Korpu’s eyes, the brother is perfect, so viewers see the same. Joonatan manages to cheer up his little brother with stories about Nangijala, the wonderful land where everyone ends up after death.
When the brothers’ home catches fire, Joonatan saves Korpu, but dies himself. Korppu won’t live long either, but his biggest wish is to die and get to Nangijala to live with his brother. This also happens, but it soon becomes clear that there is also a dark side to Nangijala. Part of it is ruled by the cruel ruler Tengil and subjugated by the army and the dragon Katla. The brothers and other villagers begin a resistance in which they face a traitor, dangerous journeys, bravery and death.
Director-choreographer Jakob Hödlund maintains a good tempo, and the performance does not get stuck for a moment. There is a lot of young energy in the performers, spiced up with a couple of veterans. I liked the physicality of the cast – actors in almost constant motion climbing on the sets, running and riding funnily built horses. The main duo, Alexander Wendelin (Korppu) and Mikko Kauppila (Joonatan), are naturally energetic, and the whole ensemble is vibrating with good energy. The bad guys deserve a special mention for their amazing use of voice, especially as Elena Rekola Veder!
The Helsinki City Theatre has put a lot of effort into pleasing both groups in the production of this children’s play suitable for adults. The creativity and inventive solutions used in it delight with their originality. First of all, I really liked the fact that puppets, big and small, were used in the production of the play (puppet design by Heini Maaranen). They can fly, for example! In puppet form, the bad guys can also be made just right – and not too scary. Lighting and video design (William Iles and Toni Haaranen) plays a major role, and it impressively creates dragon scales and flames, for example. The geometric parts, which are used in a variety of ways and are easy to move, turn into a house, a tunnel or a bank of a wild rapids (set design by Vilma Mattila). The movement also keeps going in the dance of the trees, the flames created by the dancers and the wild rapids.
The costumes convey the difference between good and evil and, with the brightness of the colours, even imaginatively convey who is subjugated and who is still free (costume design by Heidi Wikar). The handsome wolf pack also deserves a mention (camouflage design by Milja Mensonen). Stefan Johansson’s music carries the performance well, but the songs are not particularly memorable, even though they fit the play. Senni Valtonen’s versatile music-making, on the other hand, should be highlighted separately. The performance takes place around campfires and horses, so the concert kantele is an excellent mood creator!
Korppu lived his entire life on earth in fear, a prisoner of his frail body. In Nangijala, he finally hatches into an ordinary boy with the support of his brother. Korppu’s encouraging message is that you can do things even if you’re scared.
The adventure seen through the eyes of a child is straightforward, perhaps even naïve. Above all, however, it touches, comforts and glues both young and old viewers to the bench.
The play features death and a ferocious dragon, so it is recommended for ages 9 and up.
Review on the Apu magazine website.