Review: Mörköooppera
The delightfully fresh return of the Groke Opera
The Groke Opera at the Helsinki City Theatre is a captivating and colourful affair in which Sanna Majuri shines as the Groke. Marjatta Pokela’s songs, released almost 40 years ago, feel fresh. In the auditorium, it’s fun, and it seems to be the same on stage.
I was 9 years old when The Groke Opera was published in 1980, so I had time to get a full dose of the Groke Songs in my childhood. The biggest hit, The Groke It Went Around, echoed in every yard, club and classroom throughout the 1980s.
In the story, the curious Groke leaves the northern fairy tale world to meet people. The Groke heads first to Oulu and the school of human children, and finally to Helsinki on board the wolf Sutti. The reception is rude and Mörö is sad: the snowman has to be cleaned from the parking lot, the tram is inaccessible, and neither is the presidential palace. I wonder if the Groke decides to return home.
An amusing realization strikes – I’m from a small village in Upper Savo, and the Groke once made it to Helsinki before me! Now I was in the stands with my 6-year-old youngster, for whom the scenery of Mörö’s adventures is of course familiar and homely.
I haven’t been able to play Pokela’s classic monster songs for my own children. Mistake! Luckily we started at least now; We prepared for the performance with the youngest child by listening to the original interpretations of the opera’s songs, and their world and humour immediately sunk into the child’s mind. From now on, people will definitely listen to these songs.
In the City Theatre’s stage adaptation, the songs flow in an inventive and relaxed way to support the story. Especially the first half is pure joy, in the second half the dramaturgy is a bit looser.
Pokela’s songs have not aged at all, even though the old man peeking in the window of the presidential palace has changed many times, and has even been a woman at times.
Sanna Majuri is the perfect Groke. Sweet, mischievous, strange little creature. Not scary at all, but suitably exciting.
The actors and dancers of the City Theatre are also fully involved in the mischievous action. Even the smallest visits to the stage are made with joy.
Sanna Majuri is the perfect Groke.
The whole crew is involved in the same plot: everything that happens, moves, is heard and seen on stage feels just right, fabulously silly, groke-like.
In addition to Mörö, I liked Tirriäinen the most! Absolutely lovable, squeaky stuff.
When I asked the youngster about his experience after the performance, he often used the word “funny”. The Groke was funny, Ville and Kalle were funny. It was funny when the Groke and the teacher rocked, and apples fell from the sky. Of course, it was especially funny for a child (and an adult) when Mörö fired a shot in the Parliament House.
The only critical observation from the child came from the volume of the music – I agree with this. Especially the electric guitar and drum sounds often sound too loud.
Pokela’s music is charming and, well, funny, and at times the music’s tonal humour was drowned out by the electric roar. Otherwise, I really liked Lauri Schreck’s arrangements and playing. The best moments were when Schreck played from the deck or plucked the guitar, played and sang lightly and inventively.
You could have watched the chubby grannies and charming Tirriäinen so much!
For me, however, perhaps the most memorable thing about the performance are the costumes and make-ups. Alisha Davidow is responsible for the costumes, Jutta Kainulainen is responsible for the camouflage, and what a wonderful job they have done. These chubby market grannies and charming, gauzy Tirriäinen could have been watched for a long time!
My child said at home in the evening that we will go to the Groke Opera for the second time. When I asked her what she particularly wanted to see again, the child showed me with her fingers: the fine lines around her eyes.