The funniest man in Finland, starring Martti Suosalo, premieres at the City Theatre

The Helsinki City Theatre continues its programme for the centenary of Finland’s independence with the new drama The Funniest Man in Finland, written by Mikko Reitala and Heikki Kujanpää and directed by Kujanpää. The play, starring Martti Suosalo, will premiere on November 2 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 confined to prison camps. In the notorious Iso-Mjölö (Isosaari) prison camp, the director of the Workers’ Theatre that preceded the Helsinki City Theatre, actor Toivo Parikka (Martti Suosalo), who has made a name for himself in comic roles, and his fellow actors are also on the verge of starvation. A theater troupe sentenced to death receives a surprising proposal: they will be spared execution if they manage to prepare an entertaining amusement play for the dignitaries arriving on the island. Parikka, who has been called “Finland’s funniest man” by the press, faces the toughest challenge of his life.

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.

“Tragic and funny. Sublime and absurd. The most terrifying and touching of all. In Finland’s funniest man , the extremes thrive next to each other, and humour is a shortcut to understanding the horrors. Satire is the measure of civilisation. Even in distressing circumstances, any community can survive when it knows how to deal with things through humour,” says director Heikki Kujanpää. 

In addition to Martti Suosalo, the stage will feature Rauno Ahonen, Pekka Huotari, Risto Kaskilahti, Petrus Kähkönen, Vappu Nalbantoglu, Jari Pehkonen, Pihla Pohjolainen, Heikki Ranta, Mikko Reitala, Heikki Sankari and Tatu Sinisalo , as well as musicians Jesse Mast, Jani Jokinen, Annika Venäläinen and Jarkko Soinikoski.

The music that plays a central role in the work was composed by Timo Hietala. The set design is by Pekka Korpiniitty and the costumes by Sari Salmela. The lighting designer is Kari Leppälä, and the sound design is by Aleksi Saura. The camouflage and hairstyles were designed by Tuula Kuittinen.

Finland’s Funniest Man will also premiere in the spring as a film, with Kujanpää and Suosalo as the director and actor of the main role.

The autumn season performances of the play, which was of interest to the audience in advance, are full, but there are still tickets left for the performances in January-February that are now on sale.

Finland’s Funniest Man premiere 2.11.2017 on the small stage of the Helsinki City Theatre (Eläintarhantie 5)
Tickets 22 – 44 € (incl. pm)