The fiercely furious Colonel returns to the small stage
The audience and critically acclaimed Colonel, which premiered on the HKT stage in 2019 , will have its re-premiere on the small stage on 14 September. Based on Rosa Liksom’s popular novel (2017), the powerful and richly linguistic play is dramatised and directed by Susanna Airaksinen, and the story is interpreted by the wonderful Heidi Herala.
The Colonel tells the exhilarating and fierce story of a young girl who admires parades and uniforms and grows into an independent, adult and writer. At the same time, the play is an accurate and sharp analysis of an era. It depicts the progress of the young, independent Finland through the wars, life between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany, and especially Finland’s relationship with Germany. The story, told in the crisp night of Lapland, takes us through the entire life of one woman and the growing pains of one country. Rosa Liksom has used the eventful life of writer Annikki Kariniemi, known for her Lapland themes, as the basis for The Colonel’s story.
“The Colonel was relevant in 2019, and now in 2023 it is more relevant than ever. The ferocity and sensitivity of the Colonel’s character is palpable, but in this work, the Colonel is not only a victim, but also an actor. I hope that the performance would give the viewer the courage to go through and over their own shame in their own lives, as the Colonel says: ‘Silence kills from within. Throughout the history of the world, there have been those who tell and those who don’t, shame prevents you from talking.’ Humour is also a necessary tool in the performance, because only by laughing freely from time to time can you take on even the darkest topics,” says actress Heidi Herala.
“Rosa Liksom’s magnificence, intelligence and sensitivity lie in the fact that she looks at the connections between Finland and Nazism directly in the eye and then grabs by the horns. But it does not place itself at a distance, above it, does not emphasize its own superiority. In this performance, all of that is present in Heidi Herala’s wonderful work. Ferocity, sensitivity, humour and presence,” says director and dramatist Susanna Airaksinen.
The set design, which draws inspiration from Lapland’s nature, and the costumes that change into many things have been designed by Vilma Mattila. The soundscape of the performance is composed and designed by Johanna Puuperä. The lighting designer is Vesa Ellilä and the camouflage is designed by Aino Hyttinen. In addition to Heidi Herala, the performance will feature voices from Santeri Kinnunen and Rauno Ahonen.
The age recommendation for the book is from the age of 16.
The re-premiere of The Colonel will take place on 14.9.2023 on the small stage of the Helsinki City Theatre (Eläintarhantie 5).
Tickets: basic ticket 34 €, student ticket 16 € (Mon-Thu) and pensioner ticket 31 € (Mon-Thu). #everstinna @hktfi
Helsinki City Theatre’s ticket sales and customer service by phone (09) 394022 Mon-Fri 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. Ticket offices First line 2, Mon-Fri 11-17.30, Eläintarhantie 5, Sat (on performance days) 11-18 and one hour before the performance and Lippu.fi, Mon-Sat 9-21, Sun 10-18, tel. 0600 900 900 (2 €/min + local network charge) www.hkt.fi
In the photo of the press release: Heidi Herala. Photo: Robert Seger.
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