As Charlie and Jake, Martti Suosalo and Mika Nuojua portray the lives of many different men in Kiviä taskussa. Directed by Pentti Kotkaniemi, the play weaves Irish history into its stories of human lives and experiences. Kiviä taskussa is a phenomenon on the Finnish theatre scene – it has played to sold-out audiences since 2002.

The director praises the play’s concept: “I’m amazed that it has taken until now for a contemporary playwright to use the medieval mystery buffo technique, in which an actor moves from one role to another simply by changing their rhythm and emphasis.” Suosalo and Nuojua are particularly adept at this quick-change technique. Between them, they play a total of 15 roles. “The changes happen in a flash, and the characters range from a glamorous American beauty to a 75-year-old country codger,” Kotkaniemi explains.

Yet the story is by no means just an evening of jokes performed by two men. “No, Kiviä taskussa is a tragic comedy and a demanding two-hander,” says Mika Nuojua. The story begins when Charlie and Jake, two 35-year-old losers, sign up as extras on an American film shoot – only to find themselves doing something entirely different from what they expected.

Director Kotkaniemi describes the play as a classic actor-driven piece of theatre. “That means both gentlemen need to be virtuosos. Fortunately, they are – and for a director, that’s like winning the lottery.”

Read Ilkka Pernu’s article about Kiviä taskussa in Image from 2013.

 

View the programme