Favourite performances return to the City Theatre’s spring programme – Paavo Westerberg directs the bestseller to Lillan
When theatres closed their doors last spring due to the coronavirus and the performance seasons of their favourite plays ended like a brick wall, many people did not realise the long-awaited theatre evening. Helsinki City Theatre responds to the audience’s request and brings to its spring 2021 programme the audience’s favourites and huge critical successes, The Colonel’s The Colonel starring Heidi Herala and The Humming Ridge directed by Lauri Maijala. Additional performances will also be given to the dance piece Two-Colour Fugue and the Doctor’s Fun More , Please! PART 3. Lillan Teatern’s spring season opens with Paavo Westerberg’s stage adaptation of the award-winning novel Den besynnerliga eventn med hunden om natten.
Based on Rosa Liksom’s novel (2017), dramatised and directed by Susanna Airaksinen and impressively interpreted by Heidi Herala, which charmed audiences and critics alike, The Colonel returns to the Small Stage programme from 14 January. The fierce and rich-tongued Colonel tells the story of a young girl who admires parades and uniforms and grows into an independent, adult and writer in the wilderness of Lapland. As a framework and inspiration for the protagonist, the colonel, author Rosa Liksom has used the life of the writer Annikki Kariniemi, who is known for her Lapland themes. At the same time, the performance depicts the progress of the young, independent state through the wars, life between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany, especially Finland’s relationship with Germany.
Lauri Maijala’s powerful interpretation of Emily Brontë’s masterpiece Futhering Heights (1847) returns to the big stage on 12 March. The main roles of the critically acclaimed Humiseva harju, Cathy and Heatcliff, are played by the amazing Oona Airola and Markus Järvenpää, and the other roles are played by Leena Rapola, Markku Haussila, Vuokko Hovatta, Martti Manninen, Pihla Pohjolainen, Rauno Ahonen, Matti Olavi Ranin, Matti Rasila and musician Mikko Helenius.
The Humming Ridge tells the tumultuous love story of wild Cathy and the orphan boy Heathcliff, who has been brought into the family, from childhood to adulthood, coloured by pride, class differences and the destructive power of revenge. It is a triangle drama, a sibling story and a story about people who thirst for freedom in a world where only a few have the opportunity for freedom.
Carl Knif’s Two-Colour Fugue, which delighted dance audiences, will have additional performances starting on 26 January at Studio Pasila. In her new choreography, Knif combines the timeless beauty, austerity and precise formal language of Dmitri Shostakovich’s music, which she admires, with the rich expression of the dancers. The City Theatre’s dance group, Helsinki Dance Company and Carl Knif Company, co-produced with Jonna Aaltonen, Jyrki Kasper, Pekka Louhio, Heidi Naakka, Mikko Paloniemi, Terhi Vaimala and Eero Vesterinen dance.
The third part of the hugely popular trilogy, Saikkua, kiitos! PART 3, will return to the repertoire from 11 January and move from Studio Pasila to the larger Arena stage on Hämeentie. Once again, there will be hilarious sketch humour about everyday encounters between healthcare professionals and patients at the doctor’s office.
Lilla Teatern’s spring season opens with Den besynnerliga eventn med hunden om natten, based on Mark Haddon’s award-winning novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (2003). The play, dramatised by Simon Stephens and translated by Anna Simberg, is directed by Paavo Westerberg, who is making his Lilla debut. The set and costumes are designed by Sven Dahlberg, and the cast includes Alexander Wendelin, Ulriikka Heikinheimo, Vuokko Hovatta, Robert Kock, Tuukka Leppänen, Cecilia Paul, Pia Runnakko and Joachim Wigelius.
The play tells the story of 15-year-old Christopher (Alexander Wendelin), a young person with special needs who is extremely talented in mathematics and can name all the capitals of the world, but cannot eat anything yellow or brown and does not like the touch of other people, public places or crowds. One night, he finds the neighbor’s dog dead and decides to find out who murdered the dog. To succeed in this, he must face the world and overcome his fears. The murder mystery also reveals a hidden family tragedy.
From the autumn season, the beloved Disney musical The Little Mermaid and Tatu and Patu, which will premiere at the end of November in Helsinki, will continue on the big stage. On the small stage, the ensemble of three miniature plays Only Best for Me and Red Orphans, directed by Lauri Maijala, will continue. Studio Pasila’s repertoire continues with the ever-popular Stones in Your Pocket and the stand-up club Club act!one. Lilla Teatern’s repertoire continues with the critically acclaimed Once directed by Jakob Höglund.
Next premieres at the Helsinki City Theatre
26.11.2020 Tatu and Patu in Helsinki on the big stage, dir. Sami Rannila
4.3.2021 The Strange Incident with the Dog at Night Lilla Teaternissa, dir. Paavo Westerberg
To the repertoire will return
11.1.2020 More, please! PART 3 on the Arena stage, dir. Otto Kanerva
14.1.2020 Colonel, dir. Susanna Airaksinen
26.1.2020 Two-Colour Fugue, chor. Carl Knif
12.3.2020 Humiseva harju, dir. Lauri Maijala
Visits
17.12.2020 Pete Poskiparta – Mentalist 3.0 on the Arena stage
13.11.2020 Ilari Johansson – One Night Gig On the Arena stage
12.12. and 14.12.2020 Miiko Toiviainen – The Life That Has Been Given to Me, Lilla Teaternissa
The website Safely to the Theatre contains up-to-date and updated instructions for safe theatre visits.
Helsinki City Theatre ticket office, Ensi linja 2, Mon-Fri 9 am – 5.30 pm, Eläintarhantie 5 Sat 11 am – 7 pm and one hour before the performance and Lippupiste Mon-Sat 9 am – 9 pm, Sun 10 am – 6 pm, tel. 0600 900 900 (2 €/min + local network charge)
www.hkt.fi @hktfi #yleisöävarten
Press photos can be found in the image bank and press releases in the newsroom.
Further information, media ticket reservations and interview requests:
Helsinki City Theatre, Communications Manager Kaisa Pelkonen, kaisa.pelkonen@hkt.fi, 0405523788
Lilla Teatern, PR & Marketing, Ida Virkkunen ida.virkkunen@lillateatern.fi, 050 357 4250
Helsinki City Theatre, Ensi linja 2, 00530 Helsinki