Helsinki City Theatre’s autumn continues with Herra Puntila

Helsinki City Theatre’s autumn season continues on the big stage after the musical Kinky Boots with a fresh, fast-paced interpretation of Bertolt Brecht and Hella Wuolijoki’s classic Mr. Puntila and His Servant Matti. The autumn of the small stage will be opened by the new drama Kekkonen and the Kremlin Dance School, written and directed by Kari Heiskanen. Helena Anttonen’s A Bottle of Cava and the Sun, which tells the story of women’s friendship, opens the season on the Arena Stage, and Agapetus’ Scapegoat studio in Pasila, which is produced in collaboration with the Theatre Academy. Lilla Teatern’s autumn begins with the comedy Fly Me To The Moon by Marie Jones, author of Stones in Your Pocket.

Bertolt Brecht and Hella Wuolijoki’s classic Mr. Puntila and His Servant Matti (1940) will take over the big stage on 20 September. Kari Heiskanen’s well-known depiction of the relationship between a fickle, booze-drinking gentleman and a sharp-witted servant offers excesses and sudden twists and turns, in which music also plays an important role. The musician and composer is Arttu Takalo and the choreographer is Johanna Elovaara. The set design was designed by the esteemed visual artist and set designer Markku Hakuri and the costumes by costume designer Tiina Kaukanen, who has been awarded for her several film works.

The main roles are played by veteran actor Pertti Sveholm (Mr. Puntila), Antti Peltola (Matti), who graduates from the Theatre Academy in the spring of 2018, and Anna-Riikka Rajanen (Eeva), who has already conquered the big stage as Pippi, and other roles include Laura Alajääski, Kari Mattila, Raili Raitala, Sanna Saarijärvi, Eero Saarinen and Antti Timonen.

Heiska will also be performed on a small stage, where Kekkonen, written and directed by Kari Heiskanen, will premiere on 6 September. Based on the true events of the 1961 Nootti crisis, the drama tells the story of an iconic Finnish statesman in the midst of major historical turning points. The play opens up an interesting perspective on the absurd political culture of Kekkonen’s time.

The role of Kekkonen is played by Eero Aho , and the other roles in the play are played by Rauno Ahonen, Pekka Huotari, Risto Kaskilahti, Vappu Nalbantoglu, Jari Pehkonen, Tiina Peltonen, Leena Rapola, Matti Rasila, Pertti Sveholm, Timo Torikka and Mikko Virtanen.

A Bottle of Cava and the Sun, which premieres on the Arena stage on 12 September, is a warm and insightful drama comedy about women’s friendship and the retirement home of their dreams. The play, written by Helena Anttonen, is directed by Milko Lehto, and the roles are played by the iron female quintet Heidi Herala, Sanna-June Hyde, Jaana Saarinen, Aino Seppo and Eija Vilpas, as well as Sauli Suonpää in the two male roles of the play.

Four friends dream of a bohemian old people’s home together, where they can finally be and do whatever they want. What will happen to the rules, savings and family relationships of the harmonious foursome who met years ago at a visual arts camp when they find the perfect house in a Portuguese ceramics village, the artists’ home of their dreams, where they could spend an individual and communal old age?

Studio Pasila’s autumn will open with Agapetus‘ Scapegoat, which is produced in cooperation with the Theatre Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki, on 18 September. The play, directed by Pentti Kotkaniemi, will be performed without a pre-agreed fixed division of roles. All roles in the play, regardless of age and gender, are drawn in front of the audience before the start of each performance and between performances. 

The cast includes two actors from the City Theatre – Santeri Kinnunen and Jouko Klemettilä and six acting students from the Theatre Academy: Alex Anton, Joel Hirvonen, Emil Kihlström, Katriina Sinisalo, Asta Sveholm and Nenna Tyni.

On 13 September, Lilla Teatern will premiere the comedy Fly Me To The Moon (2012) by author Marie Jones. In the comedy, translated and directed by Joakim Groth, low-paid care professionals Laura and Fia find themselves in unpredictable situations and faced with moral considerations, lured by easy money. The roles are played by Pia Runnakko and Linda Zilliacus. The Swedish performance will be subtitled in Finnish.

HKT’s autumn season programme continues with the ever-popular Stones in Your Pocket , the traditional stand-up club Club act!one and the doctor fun More , Please!. Arthur Miller’s The Price, interpreted by star actors, continues on the small stage.

Read the new Teatteriin magazine here.

Next premieres

The Groke Opera 22.3.2018 on a small stage, dir. Kimmo Virtanen
Kinky Boots 30.8.2018 on the big stage, dir. Samuel Harjanne
Kekkonen and the Kremlin Dance School 6.9.2018 on a small stage, dir. Kari Heiskanen
A Bottle of Cava and Sun 12.9.2018 on the Arena Stage, dir. Milko Lehto
Fly Me To The Moon 13.9.2018 at Lilla Teatern, dir. Joakim Groth
Mr. Puntila and his servant Matti 20.9.29018, dir. Kari Heiskanen
Scapegoat 18.9.2018 studio in Pasila, dir. Pentti Kotkaniemi

Visits

The Last Cigar 21 and 22.3.2018 at Lilla Teaternissa, dir. Jukka Aaltonen
Concert with Lina Teir 7.4.2018 Lilla Teaternissa
Locker Room Talk 21.4.2018 Lilla Teaternissa, dir. Philipp Stengele
Improvision Song Contest 28.4. Lilla Teatern
Young Stage Festival at Studio Pasila 4.–6.5.2018
The Great Silence – A Performance of a Possible Future 22.5. in Studio Pasila, dir. Laura Ikonen

Public events

Coffee with the author on 19.4.2018 at 5 p.m. in the atmosphere of the big stage, with Aino Seppo, Heidi Herala and Eija Vilppas as guests Tommi Kinnunen
Wednesday’s backstage tours