Lauri Maijala’s new direction brings a children’s perspective to the post-Civil War period
Helsinki City Theatre’s autumn premiere season opens on 2.9. Anneli Kanto’s and Lauri Maijala’s Red Orphans on a Small Stage. For the time being, Maijala is directing for the last time on the stage she loves, and the subject is the silenced period in Finnish history after the Civil War and the national trauma, which is depicted through the fates of one Kallio family.
Anneli Kanto and Laurin Maijala’s play Red Orphans tells the story of a family whose father has died in the aftermath of the war and the mother is forced to give up her children because there is not enough food for everyone. The nation was divided, and there were almost 25,000 Red orphans in the country after the war, who were transferred from the cities to ideologically better growing conditions in Ostrobothnia under the leadership of the state elite.
“The Red Orphans is not only a family tragedy, but it is a national family tragedy. Finns have traditionally been a silent bunch, and this has shaped entire generations. The play opens closed doors that were never known to exist,” says director Lauri Maijala.
“This is not so much a historical performance as an emotional historical performance. In order to understand and identify with our history, we need to get to know it. This is not a play that tries to give any comprehensive, big answers or tell the objective truth, but tells the story of an ordinary Johansson family who live at Toinen linja 13. What happened to that family and the children who were innocently born into this world. The Red Orphans tells its story from the children’s point of view. It creates a world where anything can happen, at any time, and you can always see a dandelion penetrating even the thickest asphalt,” Maijala continues.
The role of the mother in the play, which is about motherly love, hope and forgiveness, is played by Ella Mettänen, who is known for Maijala’s Gamepath (2019), Antti Autio, Anna Böhm and Venla Reimaluoto, who are also known as musicians as children, and Riitta Havukainen, Miika Laakso, Kari Mattila, Leena Rapola and Marjut Toivanen in other roles.
The set design is by Janne Vasama and the costumes by Tiina Kaukanen. Lighting design by Kari Leppälä and sound design by Aleksi Saura. The camouflage was designed by Tuula Kuittinen.
Punaorvot continues with the theme of Anneli Kanto’s and Lauri Maijala’s previous collaboration. The much-praised play Blood Roses, performed at the KOM Theatre, touchingly depicted the suffering of Red women in the Civil War.
Lauri Maijala, who has worked as a permanent director at the Helsinki City Theatre since January 2019, will return to the KOM Theatre after his two-year engagement, where he will start working as Artistic Director in January 2021.
Premiere of Red Orphans 2.9.2020 on the small stage of the Helsinki City Theatre (Eläintarhantie 5)
Tickets €19.50 – €39
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