Eero Aho is Kekkonen in the City Theatre’s new play

Written and directed by Kari Heiskanen, Kekkonen and the Kremlin Dance School, based on true events, will premiere on the small stage of the Helsinki City Theatre on 6 September. Like a suspense play, the novelty takes us into the middle of the mysterious note crisis of 1961, which has been interpreted in many different ways, and opens up an interesting perspective on the absurd political culture of Kekkonen’s time. The role of Urho Kekkonen is played by Eero Aho.

“Kekkonen and the Kremlin Dance School mirror the president’s misery in the crossfire of Moscow’s rulers and opponents of his own country, and interpret his private struggle in the empowering embrace of three strong women,” says director Kari Heiskanen, whose previous play directed for HKT, Mannerheim and the German Kiss (2017), dealt with the relations between the newly independent Finland and Germany.

Kekkonen and the Kremlin Dance School tells the story of a president who is feeling his strength, and who in 1961 is preparing for his second term. Before that, he must clear his opponent, the candidate of the Honka Association, Chancellor of Justice Olavi Honka, out of his way. Did Kekkonen order a note and ruthlessly exploit his relations with Russia to secure his victory? Or did the note come as a surprise to him in Hawaii, where he was on vacation after his visit to the United States? Finland, which had recently survived the war, had slipped into a situation where its right to self-determination was once again in danger.

“The title of the play, of course, refers to how Stalin, in his drunken state, used to humiliate his closest men by forcing them to dance. And how Kekkonen had to learn the steps in the dance in which Khrushchev was leading. But Kekkonen was so skilled in politics that it is worth asking who was leading and whom,” Heiskanen says.

The cast also includes Rauno Ahonen, Risto Kaskilahti, Vappu Nalbantoglu, Jari Pehkonen, Matti-Olavi Ranin, Tiina Peltonen, Leena Rapola, Matti Rasila, Pertti Sveholm, Marjut Toivanen, Timo Torikka and Mikko Virtanen.

The set design for the play, which is strongly in the 60s era, was designed by Antti Mattila and the costumes by Elina Kolehmainen. The lighting design is by Mika Ijäs and the sound design by Eradj Nazimov. The camouflage was designed by Milja Mensonen and the video recordings of the performance by Toni Haaranen. 

Kekkonen and the Kremlin Dance School premiere 6.9.2018 on the small stage of the Helsinki City Theatre (Eläintarhantie 5)
Tickets: 20/22,50 – 40/45 € (incl. pm)