Lauri Maijala directs the new generation Cherry Orchard at the City Theatre
On 28 February, the spring season on the City Theatre’s main stage will open with Lauri Maijala’s fresh interpretation of Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard (1904). The main role of Ranevskaya is played by Maijala’s own mother, Heidi Herala, who is celebrating her 35th anniversary as an artist. The string quartet and the music composed for it by Lauri Porra also play an important role in the performance.
“You can recognise a classic by the fact that it can and should be performed over and over again, always by new creators and for new audiences. It speaks to this time and the people of this time as if it had been written yesterday,” says Lauri Maijala, who has been hired as HKT’s director.
“Our Cherry Orchard will be a comedy, but it will also be a tragedy. It’s musical theatre and it’s spoken theatre, it makes you laugh and it makes you cry and, if necessary, even scares. It will be full of surprises both on stage and in the audience – and thus it will imitate life itself,” Maijala promises.
In Anton Chekhov’s last play, The Cherry Orchard, the landlady of an old noble manor, Ranevskaya, returns home from a years-long trip abroad. In addition to servants, relatives and acquaintances, the family faces a silent tragedy and extensive financial difficulties, to solve which the merchant Lopahin proposes to cut down the valuable cherry orchard surrounding the house and sell the area for villa plots. Everyone must find a new direction for their lives to replace the past.
In addition to Heidi Herala, the cast includes Chike Ohanwe (Lopahin), Tommi Eronen, Jouko Klemettilä, Sonja Kuittinen, Seppo Maijala, Sanna Majuri, Kari Mattila, Unto Nuora, Heikki Ranta, Eero Saarinen, Aino Seppo, Emilia Sinisalo and Nooa Huhtala/Niila Vasama. The music of composer Lauri Porra, known from the band Stratovarius, will be performed by a string quartet consisting of Siljamari Heikinheimo/Kreeta-Julia Heikkilä, Eriikka Maalismaa/Terhi Paldanius, Hanna Hohti/Maarit Holkko and Petja Kainulainen/Liina-Mari Raivola.
The set design of the Cherry Orchard was designed by Janne Vasama , and the costume design was done by Tiina Kaukanen, who has won several awards for her film work. The lighting designer is Mika Ijäs and the sound designer is Kai Poutanen. The camouflage and hairstyles are designed by Jaana Nykänen.
Cherry Orchard premiere 28.2.2019 at 7 pm on the big stage of the Helsinki City Theatre (Eläintarhantie 5)
Tickets: 20 € – 45 € (incl. pm)
Helsinki City Theatre ticket office, First Line 2, Mon-Fri 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., Eläintarhantie 5 Sat 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and one hour before the performance and Lippupiste Mon-Sat 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sun 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., tel. 0600 900 900 (2 €/min + local network charge)
www.hkt.fi
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 Officer Kaisa Pelkonen, kaisa.pelkonen@hkt.fi, 040 552 3788
Helsinki City Theatre, Ensi linja 2, 00530 Helsinki