Martti Suosalo is the funniest man in Finland
The Helsinki City Theatre’s festive autumn continues after the premieres in August and September with the new drama The Funniest Man in Finland starring Martti Suosalo and Jyrki Karttunen’s dance theatre novelty Aikuisten joulukalenteri on the small stage. In Lillan, the autumn continues with the satire Vinterkriget – here we go again, and at Studio Pasila, with ShedHelsinki’s fairytale musical Sleeping Beauty – Back to the Future. The Arena will host a re-premiere of Red Nose Company’s hugely popular Trench Road.
The funniest man in Finland, co-written by Mikko Reitala and Heikki Kujanpää and directed by Kujanpää, will premiere on 2 November on a small stage. Based on true events, the hanging drama takes place in August 1918, after the Civil War, when more than 80,000 Reds were imprisoned in prison camps, including Toivo Parikka, the director of the Workers’ Theatre that preceded the Helsinki City Theatre and an actor who had gained fame for his comic roles. On the notorious prison camp island of Iso-Mjölö, his remaining fellow actors are also on the verge of starvation. A group of actors sentenced to death receive a surprising proposal and escape execution by preparing a play to entertain the dignitaries arriving on the island.
In the closed world of Leirisaari, the story of the birth of Finland is told. Major political events are the framework for a few people’s experiences of the prevailing conflicts, cruelty and reconciliation of the era. The power of theatre, humour and mercy are important themes of the performance. Comedy springs from where great pain comes from.
The role of Parikka is played by Martti Suosalo and the other roles are played by Rauno Ahonen, Pekka Huotari, Risto Kaskilahti, Petrus Kähkönen, Vappu Nalbantoglu, Jari Pehkonen, Pihla Pohjolainen, Heikki Ranta, Mikko Reitala, Heikki Sankari and Tatu Sinisalo.
The funniest man in Finland will also premiere in the spring as a film directed by Heikki Kujanpää, starring Martti Suosalo.
On the small stage from 15 November, Helsinki Dance Company offers a healing Christmas treatment for those who momentarily feel like an outsider in relation to Christmas traditions. In Jyrki Karttunen’s Adult Christmas Calendar , which is aimed only at adults, traditional Christmas songs and games familiar to everyone are implemented as new, and partly improvised, interpretations. The stage will feature multi-talented performers who have become familiar both as dancers and actors: Jyrki Kasper, Jouko Klemettilä, Aksinja Lommi, Heidi Naakka, Emilia Nyman, Mikko Paloniemi, Tiina Peltonen, Leenamari Unho and Mikko Vihma.
On 13 September, Teatteri Hevosenkenkä’s delightful puppet theatre performance Kani untuvakerä will have its re-premiere in the foyer of the small stage. Suitable for the youngest members of the family, this sweet story tells about the importance of helping others. The play, directed by Kirsi Sirén, is performed by Outi Haaranen-Halme.
In Red Nose Company’s Trench Road , which will visit the Arena stage in November, the talented Timo Ruuskanen and Tuukka Vasama jump from one role to another and go through Kari Hotakainen’s Finlandia Prize-winning novel in two hours. Directed by Otso Kautto , the hugely popular performance is crowned by live music from Neil Young to U2 and Johnny Cash. The re-premiere of the performance, which is suitable for over 14-year-olds, will take place on 1 November.
Lilla Teatern’s autumn continues with a satire on leadership, Vinterkriget – here we go again, written by Sara Ehnholm-Hielm and directed by Arn-Henrik Blomqvist, on 16 November. The events take place in a dugout on the Karelian Isthmus in the final stages of the Winter War. There are only two soldiers left when a high-ranking officer arrives with new operating models and ideas about leadership. Neoliberal rhetoric meets the reality of war. The demands for efficiency heat up the atmosphere, and it soon becomes unclear whether the actual war is only being fought outside the dugout. The cast includes Kris Gummerus, Sanna Majuri, Peter Kanerva, Pia Runnakko, Joachim Wigelius and Linda Zilliacus.
In addition to his own productions, Lillan will feature e.g. Blaue Frau’s stand-up and drag king show YO BRO on 1 November and Yle’s talk show Eftersnack, which will be recorded at Lilla Teatern from 21 September. The reporters of the Eftersnack på Lillan evenings are Magnus Londen and Jeanette Björkqvist.
On 8 December, Studio Pasila will premiere ShedHelsinki’s Sleeping Beauty – Back to the Future. The musical, which is suitable for children over the age of 7, mixes classic fairy tales and traditional youth musicals set in the school world in an unprecedented way. The musical is based on the original script by Chickenshed Theatre (UK) and is produced by the teachers of StepUp School’s Skene Music Theatre School under the direction of director Marco Bjurström . The conductor of the performances is Tuomas Kesälä. Helsinki City Theatre is involved in supporting diversity and child and youth work that takes special needs children into account by offering a performance venue for the new musical theatre production of the ShedHelsinki Foundation, founded by Elisa.
HKT’s autumn season programme will continue with three more performances of Ulla Tapaninen’s Lava Shooting V. Studio Pasila will continue with the ever-popular Stones in Your Pocket, the traditional stand-up club Club act!one, Saikkua, kiitos! by Ismo Leikola and Kalle Pylvänäinen, and Servant by Kari Hotakainen, written for Martti Suosalo by Kari Hotakainen, which will move from the Arena stage to Pasila. The programme of the foyer of the Small Stage will once again return to the programme before Christmas, with the family’s favourite Elves as Shoemakers, and the spring favourites, the relationship comedy Mieletön metodi and Jeanette Björkvist’s Mammas flicka, will continue at Lilla Teatern. Lillan’s popular song evenings Eget och lånat- Omaa ja lainattua and Christmas på Lillan will also get a new comeback. The tour programme continues with the school performance Rabbit and Prisoner on the School Bench.
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Next premieres at the Helsinki City Theatre:
Maija of Myrskyluoto 24.8.2017 on the big stage, dir. Kari Rentola
Enigmatic Variations 30.8.2017 studio in Pasila, dir. Sakari Kirjavainen
The Golden Calf 31.8.2017 on a small stage, dir. Heidi Räsänen
The Assassin’s Nightmare 6.9.2017 on the Arena Stage, dir. Mika Eirtovaara
Kani Untuvakerä 13.9.2017 in the foyer of the small stage
Pippi Longstocking 13.9.2017, on the big stage, dir. Milko Lehto
It’s going to be okay, Sapiens! 14.9.2017 Lilla Teaternissa, dir. Marina Meinander, Kirsi Porkka
Hansu and Pirre – My Mind Made 21.9.2017 on a small stage
Robert Jägerhorn – for real? 5.10.2017 Lilla Teaternissa, dir. Markus Zink
Mannerheim and the German Kiss 25.10.2017 on the big stage, dir. Kari Heiskanen
Trench Road 1.11.2017 at the Arena Stage, dir. Otso Kautto
Finland’s Funniest Man 2.11.2017 on a small stage, dir. Heikki Kujanpää
Christmas calendar for adults 15.11.2017 on a small stage, dir. Jyrki Karttunen
The Winter War – here we go again 16.11.2017 Lilla Teaternissa, dir. Arn-Henrik Blomqvist
Sleeping Beauty – Back to the Future 8.12.2017 in Studio Pasila, dir. Marco Bjurström