The City Theatre’s novelty brings Finland’s fateful years to the stage

The historical play Mannerheim and the German Kiss, written by Juha Vakkuri and directed and adapted by Kari Heiskanen, will premiere on 25 October on the main stage of the Helsinki City Theatre. The play , which is performed as part of the Finland 100 anniversary programme, tells thestory of the fateful years of the newly independent country and its reliance on Germany during the Civil War and the Continuation War.

In depicting political-historical events, the play also draws a picture of the cosmopolitan warlord and marshal Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, who was decisively involved in them. The role of Mannerheim is played by Asko Sarkola, who retired from his job as a theatre director at the beginning of the year.

In the early days of independent Finland, independence, a republican form of government or sovereignty were not set in stone. The turmoil of the Civil War in 1918 led right-wing forces to resort to the idea of stabilising conditions through centralised power.

“The project of a German prince as King of Finland is nothing compared to Finland giving Germany a free hand to interfere in the country’s internal affairs to the extent that we can talk about becoming a vassal,” says director Kari Heiskanen.

The second act of the play highlights how Finland did not drift into the Continuation War, but systematically prepared to fight back the territories lost in the Winter War with the help of Germany. The military operations as a whole were a success, considering the balance of power, but the greatest feat of skill was the secession from the war, the breaking of Germany’s brotherhood in arms and the preservation of independence.

“Mannerheim and the German Kiss depicts the moments when Finland was at a crossroads and faced with an uncertain future, it had to choose a path to follow. At moments like this, the personal qualities of leaders, their strengths and weaknesses come to the fore,” says Heiskanen.

“Mannerheim’s childhood home was shattered already in his early youth, and he never managed to create a happy family life in his adult life. A romantic might ask, what kind of leader would Mannerheim have become if Kitty Linder had agreed to marry him? Would he have become a different kind of leader, a different kind of man?”, Heiskanen continues.

“Mannerheim is the most interesting historical figure of independent Finland: the first cosmopolitan, a unique aristocrat, a lone commander-in-chief, a failed politician, a world-class diplomat and an incurable charmer! In addition to successfully serving as commander-in-chief of the Finnish army and leading Finland from the Continuation War to a separate peace, Mannerheim also saved the Finnish people from famine after the Civil War,” author Juha Vakkuri sums up.

In addition to Sarkola , Helena Haaranen, Kirsi Karlenius, Kari Mattila, Unto Nuora, Matti Olavi Ranin, Tommi Rantamäki, Matti Rasila, Eero Saarinen, Pertti Sveholm, Antti Timonen and Kaisa Torkkel will take the stage in the intense play. 

The set design is by Antti Mattila and the costume design is by Elina Kolehmainen. The lighting designer is Mika Ijäs, the sound designer is Eradj Nazimov and the video designer is Toni Haaranen. Anu Laaksonen and Jaana Nykänen are responsible for the disguise.

Mannerheim and the German Kiss premiere 25.10.2017 on the big stage of the Helsinki City Theatre (Eläintarhatie 5)

Tickets: 20/22,50 – 40/45 € (incl. pm)