Passion and romance behind the scenes of the theatre
Helsinki City Theatre’s spring season opens with Shakespeare in Love, based on the award-winning film, which will have its Finnish premiere on the big stage on 25 January. There will be strong burning emotions, Renaissance costumes, romance and a story that takes us to late 16th century London.
The main couple of the romantic comedy is seen as e.g. Heikki Ranta , who received praise for the role of Kirka a year ago, and Miila Virtanen , who is visiting HKT for the first time, as well as Rauno Ahonen, Helena Haaranen, Heidi Herala, Petrus Kähkönen, Tuukka Leppänen, Jari Pehkonen and Mikko Vihma in other roles. The play, translated into Finnish by Reita Lounatvuori , is directed by theatre director Kari Arffman.
“Shakespeare in Love is not only a passionate love story and an artist’s story, but also the story of a modern woman. A young bourgeois girl wants a career and a love marriage. At the time of the play, women were not allowed on stage, but male actors also performed female roles. A young woman takes a huge risk when she goes alone to the other side of the city for an audition dressed as a man,” says director Kari Arffman.
The play takes place in London and the year is 1593. Will Shakespeare (Heikki Ranta), a young playwright suffering from a lack of money and women’s problems, tries to work on a new work for his theatre, but the writing work is badly stalled. At the auditions, Will meets a skilled actress who turns out to be the beautiful Viola de Lesseps (Miila Virtanen). The young couple’s love ignites, and a passionate romance sends Will’s writing into a new flight. Shakespeare’s world-famous play, Romeo and Juliet, begins. However, the lovers are forced to keep their relationship a secret, as Viola has already been promised to another man, Lord Wessex (Mikko Vihma), with the blessing of the Queen (Helena Haaranen).
The set design for the love comedy set in the theatrical world was designed by Katariina Kirjavainen and the magnificent Renaissance period costumes by Elina Kolehmainen. The choreography for the 26-member ensemble was designed by Jyrki Karttunen. The lighting design is by Petteri Heiskanen and the sound design by Eero Niemi. The camouflage was designed by Jaana Nykänen.
Shakespeare in Love, adapted for the stage by Lee Hall in 2014 and composed by Paddy Cunneen, is based on the screenplay by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard (Shakespeare in Love, 1998). The film, which has won seven Oscars and won three Golden Globes and BAFTAs, starred Gwyneth Paltrow, Joseph Fiennes and Judi Dench, among others.
Heikki Ranta did his artistic thesis at the Theatre Academy in the title role of HKT’s musical play Kirka. After graduating (2017), he was hired as an actor at the Helsinki City Theatre, where he also plays Jaeger Lieutenant Alfred Nyborg in the play The Funniest Man in Finland . In addition to theatre, Ranta has acted in the film August (2011) and in the television series Salatut elämät and Sorjonen. In the autumn of 2017, he will be involved in the new Punk’d Suomi series.
Miila Virtanen graduated with a Master of Arts in Theatre Arts from the Theatre Academy in 2016. She has had roles in the musical Fiddler on the Roof (Chava 2017-2018) at the Tampere Workers’ Theatre , as well as in various productions at the Theatre Academy and the Helsinki Student Theatre. This year, she can also be seen in the film Memorial Service and in the TV series Donna. The double role of Viola de Lesseps / Thomas Kent in the play Shakespeare in Love is Miila Virtanen’s debut at the Helsinki City Theatre.
The makers’ meeting, which is open to the public, will be held on Tuesday, 23 January at 5.30 p.m. in the upper foyer of the main stage. Director Kari Arffman talks about the performance.
Shakespeare in Love premiere 25.1.2018 at 7 p.m. on the big stage of the Helsinki City Theatre (Eläintarhantie 5)
Tickets: €22.50 – €45 (incl. pm)