The image of a modern person
A mother and daughter are sitting near the cemetery, waiting for the family’s son Aksle. A neighbour and his ex-wife, siblings who have lost their father together with the widow arrive, and finally Aksle. She says that she wants to disappear and start her life over somewhere else.
Later, the mother goes to the home of Aksle’s ex-partner to learn more about the disappearance. David’s home has visitors, and getting to know them changes his mother and her plans in an unexpected way.
“The Time of Joy is an exceptional play in terms of its structure. It takes you on a journey where you may not always know where you are going, but it rewards the viewer as it gradually begins to open up like an onion. The Time of Joy is an event where people come and go, and where those encounters form new connections. Like life,” says director Tatu Hämäläinen.
Norwegian Arne Lygren’s Tid for glede premiered in Oslo in 2022, where it was a great success with audiences and critics. Lygre is one of Norway’s most significant contemporary playwrights, whose work has received a lot of international attention. The plays have been translated into more than 20 languages and are constantly performed all over Europe.
TIME OF JOY is a play by actors – and especially good actors – in which eight actors play all 16 roles in the performance.
Some of the characters in the play meet each other by chance. They are strangers to each other, but they have deep and reflective conversations about relationships, loss, love, and personal growth.
“They try to talk openly about what they are really interested in. The discussions go straight to the core,” says Hämäläinen.
In her opinion, dialogue is characterised by linguistic quality and efficiency. The speech of the characters in the play is more precise and poetic than the sprawling language we use in everyday life.
“In that sense, the work can be seen as more than just realistic or naturalistic,” says Hämäläinen. “The most important thing is what happens between people, not so much where it happens.”
Live music also plays a significant role in creating atmospheres. The electroacoustic music is composed and performed by Islaja.
THE TIME OF JOY deals with friendship, family and new communities that take the place of the family as they grow up.
“It speaks of a sense of community, inclusivity and acceptance, of being a member of the community and being interested in others,” says Hämäläinen.
He thinks that what is exceptional about the play is how it deals with conflict. Especially the young generation in the Age of Joy is not interested in conflict and digging up old things, even though they are offered the opportunity to do so. They want to focus on the present moment and are more interested in seeking joy and being in joy than worrying about the past.
“The Time of Joy believes in man and in the goodness of man. You can disagree on things, but the most important thing is to be together and go towards warmth, love and joy.”
We have each other.
Text Ida Henritius