I don’t mind anything about this!
“This is exactly the kind of play I’ve been waiting for,” says director Anna-Elina Lyytikäinen. “Great roles, powerful and funny classic drama in a Finnish and modern context.”
Dangerous Relationships takes place in a theater in financial trouble that is sponsored by the church. Raili Wahlman is coming to direct The Old Testament and wants civil servant actor Rauno de Tourvell to play Satan. As a result of the intrigues of Wahlman and the theatre director Mertanen, Wahlman begins to seduce Tourvell into agreeing to play the role. The problems start when real love intervenes.
Dangerous Liaisons is based on Christopher Hampton’s play (1985), adapted from Pierre Choderlos de Laclos‘ epistolary novel of the same name (Les liaisons dangereuses), published in 1782. The general public probably remembers the work best from the blockbuster film Lies and Seducers (1988).
“If I had been asked to direct an epochal version, I would think that this is another kind of basic well-made play. Overwriting takes this to a completely different frequency,” Lyytikäinen says. “The classic becomes even more tearing and brutal.”
LeeaKlemola’s adaptation of the original play retains the twists and turns of the play, the goals of the characters and the relationships between them – which are still life-threatening. This time, the plotters are older women, who are run by men.
“It is characteristic of Leea Klemola that she turns roles inside out many times. When age and gender roles are stretched, the story becomes much fresher,” Lyytikäinen says.
Klemola’s language is recognizable and sometimes even violent. Swear words are not spared unnecessarily.
Oh fuck, how lame. Oh, that they have kept a record of my. I might as well tell you, do you really think that I would like to work with such a life-fearing civil servant actor who is fortified in a hellish sea of places?
Lyytikäinen says that she laughed with a stomach ache when she read the manuscript: “Klemola is an original writer. He is a master at using the Finnish language and dialect in his plays.”
The original work is set in the social circles of the French upper class. In Lyytikäinen’s opinion, the theatre as the setting for this version is excellent, because the hierarchies and the ladder of power are clear there. In the play, theatre forms a small circle within which it is possible to play with relationships and manipulate others.
“But above all, this is an ugly beautiful, rough love drama that settles into the Finnish mindset,” Lyytikäinen describes.
Deep humanity Dangerous Relationships deals with the use of power and playing with love, where broken hearts are at stake. Theatre director Mertanen and director Raili Wahlman are merciless and cruel in their playing, but “they can’t do anything about it”.
Despite its tragicness, the play has many comedic features. “Theatre is at its best when both extremes are present,” Lyytikäinen says.
In Lyytikäinen’s opinion, the fun comes not only from Klemola’s own language, but also from the fact that the characters are shown with their mistakes and their days. The recognizability of people makes me laugh in the play. “This goes to the core of basic humanity. You can definitely recognize it even if you don’t want to see yourself in the people,” Lyytikäinen says.
Leea Klemola’s plays have not previously been performed at the Helsinki City Theatre. “It’s wonderful that this text was given a chance, because this is a skilfully written new life for a classic,” Lyytikäinen says.