Review: Rakastunut Shakespeare

Shakespeare in love tells how a classic play could have been born

The Finland 100 centenary has now been celebrated. Last year, the Helsinki City Theatre staged two handsome musicals about Kirill “Kirka” Babitzin and Maija from Myrskyluoto.

Now, on the big stage, people tune in to a completely different atmosphere. Let’s move from Finland to London at the end of the 1500s.

Will Shakespeare is then agonizing over his play. There is no way to create a smooth text. Meanwhile, elsewhere in the aristocratic house, a young girl, Viola de Lesseps, would like to be on stage, because she loves the theatre.

The world of Shakespeare’s time is quite different from today. Women are not allowed to perform in theatre and female roles are always given to men.

Viola and Will meet and fall in love. However, there are twists and turns in love. Viola has already been promised to another man, and marriage is not even possible between a noble woman and a lowly playwright. So there is a painful separation ahead.

Unknown playwright

The play Shakespeare in Love is based on the film of the same name released in the late 1990s. It is a fictional story about a world-famous man, about whom very little is known.

Everyone knows Shakespeare’s plays, but few know much more about the author than his name. It is wonderful to reflect on the fact that the play Romeo and Juliet may have originated as a result of an unhappy falling in love experienced by the author.

Helsinki City Theatre’s play brilliantly depicts life in the 16th century. Investments have been made in costumes, sets, props and instruments.

No fabric has been spared in women’s dresses. The Queen’s dress is full of velvet and her face is powdered white. The play also had great wigs and jewelry in abundance.

The play was crowned by Kida

The sweetest actor in the play is Kida the dog.

There are many delicious characters in the roles. Heidi Herala’s breastfeeding mother is funny when she is toddling in front of her.

The confident trio of Jari Pehkonen, Rauno Ahonen and Jouko Klemettilä performed several funny scenes. What is it about men dressing up as women that always makes me laugh?

By far the most brilliant woman in the role was Jyrki Kasper, who was very lavish when he growled in a low voice. At this point, the audience burst into laughter.

Of the main actors, Miila Virtanen represented a new and young cast of actors at the Helsinki City Theatre. She was really convincing in the role of Viola. Heikki Ranta also shone in his role as William Shakespeare.

And finally: Kida, the adorable Spanish Water Dog, crowned the whole show with her cute tricks!