Review: Nainen – aina parhaassa iässä

Music entertainment evening Woman – always bursting with joy and energy in her best age

The Woman – Always at the Best Age performance at the Helsinki City Theatre’s Theatre Studio Pasila was born from the idea of the beloved Merja Larivaara, who turns 60 this year.

The performance is a review of femininity and women’s roles now and in the past decades, laced with music and humour. The performance celebrates the magnificence of femininity with a twinkle in the eye. Larivaara’s life story is also included.

The charismatic Larivaara is the undisputed star of the performance. Music plays a significant role in the performance, played on stage by the Kaihon caravan. Most of the music is new compositions.

The many female roles are interpreted by Aino Seppo and Leenamari Unho with Merja Larivaara. Mikko Virtanen brings a male perspective to the theme with his wonderful interpretation.

The performance is not traditional theatre, but a collection of music and texts that carry the story forward.

The actors manage to create an illusion in which the viewer forgets that they are actually sitting in a theatre chair and are not involved in meeting their girlfriends. The joys and sorrows of a woman’s life are present on stage, but you don’t get stuck in minor tones, let alone feel sorry for them. The woman in the show is gorgeous and unique, not only equal but almost superior.

The performance is full of surprising scenes, the most memorable of which is the actors’ astonishing transformation into dogs. A dark sticker on the tip of the nose, a fur cap on the head and a brown jacket on top and wuf; The impression of pet dogs waiting for their mistress to come home from the bar is so genuine that the viewer also expects to see bushy tails wagging happily.

The performance is an excellent energy charge, especially for the darkening autumn evenings.