Buzz and Adjust is a new and fresh farce comedy about relationships
On 3 September, the new and fresh farce comedy The Cottage, directed by Sari Siikander, will premiere on the Arena stage . Written by Sandy Rustin, which premiered on Broadway in 2023, this farce’s comedy airing gender traditions is set in 1920s England, but its twists and characters are fully modern.
Sylvia (Pihla Penttinen) and her secret lover Beau (Sauli Suonpää) have arrived for their annual villa meeting. This time, Sylvia drops a real news bomb on Beau and tells him that she has left her husband. This is just the beginning, as the duo’s spouses (Emilia Sinisalo and Heikki Ranta) are next frightened to the same villa. A veritable Pandora’s box of secrets is torn open, and both the identities of the characters and the notions of marriage are thrown into a fiercely spinning mill.
“Hiss and Adjustment dives into the depths of the roles of marriage, identity and relationships through farcical comedy, and does it in a way that makes the viewer laugh, be surprised and maybe even look at their own relationship with new eyes,” says director Sari Siikander. “The play is a masterpiece of relationship twists and absurdities, and I promise that such a catastrophe of love in such a funny package has never been seen on stage before!”
The cast includes Pihla Penttinen, Sauli Suonpää, Emilia Sinisalo, Heikki Ranta, Ella Lymi and Mikko Virtanen.
The play is directed by Sari Siikander and translated into Finnish by Reita Lounatvuori. The set design is by Peter Ahlqvist. The costumes are designed by Elina Kolehmainen and the camouflage by Jutta Kainulainen. The sound design is by Eero Niemi and the lighting design is by Petteri Heiskanen. The dramaturg has been Ari-Pekka Lahti.
Sandy Rustin is an American award-winning playwright and actress. The Cottage (2023) was her Broadway debut and has already been performed in several theaters around the world. In 2023, Entertainment Weekly named the comedy one of the best plays of the year. In addition, Rustin has written several acclaimed and award-winning plays and musicals. Rustin arrives for the premiere of Sutina ja säätöä on the Arena stage on 3 September. Inquiries and interview requests through HKT’s Communications Manager Kaisa Pelkonen.
Read the director’s interview on the theatre’s website: Secret Relationships and Incidents in a Charming Epoch
Sutinaa ja säätöä premiere on 3.9.2025 at the Helsinki City Theatre’s Arena stage (Hämeentie 2).
Tickets: basic ticket €49, student ticket €24.50 (Mon-Thu) and pensioner ticket €46 (Mon-Thu)
#sutinaajasäätöä @hktfi
Helsinki City Theatre’s ticket sales and customer service by phone (09) 394022 Mon-Fri 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Ticket offices First line 2, Mon-Fri 12-17, Eläintarhantie 5, Sat (performance days) 11-18.30 and one hour before the performance and Lippu.fi, Mon-Sat 9-19, Sun 12-16, tel. 0600 900 900 (2 €/min + local network charge) www.hkt.fi
Press photos can be found in the media bank and press releases in the newsroom.
In the photo: Emilia Sinisalo, Heikki Ranta, Pihla Penttinen and Sauli Suonpää. Photographer: Janne Mikkilä.
Further information, media ticket reservations and interview requests:
Kaisa Pelkonen, Communications Manager, kaisa.pelkonen@hkt.fi, 040 552 3788
Helsinki City Theatre, Ensi linja 2, 00530 Helsinki