Note: No longer in repertoire!

“Isn’t that a funny suggestion? Make the audience laugh or you’ll be shot!”

August 1918 after the Civil War. More than 80,000 Reds have been confined to prison camps.
Toivo Parikka (Martti Suosalo), the director of the Workers’ Theatre and an actor who has made a name for himself in comic roles, is sent to the notorious Iso-Mjölö prison camp island. His remaining fellow actors are also languishing on the verge of starvation.

The theatre workers are accused of murdering the vicar during the occupation of Helsinki, and they are sentenced to death. Parikka defies death by joking, making his executioners laugh, and the camp’s commandant, Captain Kalm, decides to spare his life. The commandant makes a surprising proposal to Parikka. Despite the chillingly horrible conditions in the camp, he wants the theatre people to put on a play for their dignitaries arriving on the island. Parikka, who has been called “Finland’s funniest man” by the press, faces the toughest challenge of his life.

In the closed world of Leirisaari, the story of the birth of Finland is told. Major political events are the framework for a few people’s experiences of the prevailing conflicts, cruelty and reconciliation of the era. The power of theatre, humour and grace are important themes of the performance. Comedy springs from where great pain comes from.

The performance rights of the play are supervised by Agency North / The Finnish Playwrights and Scriptwriters’ Association.

NOTE! SPRING PERFORMANCES ON SALE NOW!

“In the auditorium, you can only admire how the performance moves in the conflicting waves. When you make a play, in the middle of the Civil War, there is plenty of contrast.” Helsingin Sanomat 3.11.2017 – Tuomas Kaseva

“I saw and experienced something unique in Thursday’s premiere. Some immense warmth and presence that lifted me in a special way above dragging in everyday life and in a dark November evening. The best feeling in the stands is when you laugh so hard that your head hurts, and in the same breath you don’t really know what you’re laughing at and why.” Theatre Fly Bites blog 3.11.2017

“… A fierce comedy on a deadly serious subject. (…) In the play The Funniest Man in Finland, the audience laughs and at the same time recognises history.” Aamulehti 3.11.2017 – Soila Lehtonen

 

Note! Last performance on Wed 16 May at 7 pm.

View the programme