The Humming Ridge is staged for the first time in Helsinki as a fresh interpretation by Lauri Maijala

Emily Brontë’s masterpiece The Humming Ridge will have its long-awaited stage premiere in Helsinki on 30 January on the big stage of HKT. The play, dramatised by Clifford (1994) and translated into Finnish by Ville Koskivaara, is directed by Lauri Maijala, who is known for his strong visions. The main roles are played by Oona Airola and Markus Järvenpää.

The Humming Ridge tells the story of the tumultuous relationship between the wild Cathy and the orphan boy Heathcliff, who was brought into the family as a child. It is a love story from childhood to adulthood about pride, class differences and the destructive power of revenge. It is a triangle drama and a sibling story, a story about people who thirst for freedom in a world where only a few have the opportunity for freedom.

“The Humming Ridge depicts two people torn apart from each other, obsessively searching for their lost half of the world and each other. Love becomes a harrowing, consuming and, when taken away, a lifeline and a drug that leads to madness for people who have not found love in a cold and insecure world,” says director Lauri Maijala.

“For me, Cathy and Heathcliff are one and the same person. A contradictory, aggressively scooping happiness out of nothingness, who navigates forward in life, seeing only himself in the mirror and thus eventually turns into a destructive force. The humming ridge expands into a balancing act with even the ill-considered life choices that will eventually change the direction of the rest of your life,” Maijala continues.

The amazing roles of the main couple Cathy and Heatcliff are played by two-time Jussi Award-winning Oona Airola and Markus Järvenpää , who has played leading roles at the Turku City Theatre, among others.The other roles are played by Rauno Ahonen (Dr. Kenneth), Markku Haussila (Hindley), Vuokko Hovatta (Frances), Martti Manninen (Edgar), Sonja Pajunoja (Isabella), Matti Olavi Ranin (Mr. Earnshaw), Leena Rapola (Nelly Dean) and Matti Rasila (Mr. Linton).

The exceptionally rich soundscape of the performance is created by composer and musician Mikko Helenius and sound designer Eradj Nazimov. The set that opens to the auditorium is also designed by Katariina Kirjavainen and the costumes by Sari Suominen. William Iles is responsible for the lighting design, and the camouflage is designed by Maija Sillanpää.

Wuthering Heights (1847) was Emily Brontë’s first and last novel. When it was published, this novel, which is one of the most significant works of Western literature, received a mixed reception, and it was doubted whether a woman could ever have written such wild characters, a harrowing story and a realistic world. The novel has been adapted into several films and stages, and inspired by its powerful portrayal of women, it also has a strong foothold in popular culture. The adaptation by Scottish author Jo Clifford focuses on the icy core of the novel and condenses the work into the central characters.

Humming Ridge premiere 30.1.2020 on the big stage of the Helsinki City Theatre (Eläintarhantie 5)
15 € – 45 € (incl. pm.)

#humisevaharju #hktfi

Helsinki City Theatre ticket office, Ensi linja 2, Mon-Fri 9 am – 5.30 pm, Eläintarhantie 5 Sat 11 am – 7 pm and one hour before the performance and Lippupiste Mon-Sat 9 am – 9 pm, Sun 10 am – 6 pm, tel. 0600 900 900 (2 €/min + local network charge) 
www.hkt.fi 
Press photos can be found in the image bank and press releases in the newsroom.
 

Further information, media ticket reservations and interview requests: Helsinki City Theatre, Communications Manager Kaisa Pelkonen, kaisa.pelkonen@hkt.fi, 040 552 3788
Helsinki City Theatre, Ensi linja 2, 00530 Helsinki