The Kummeli friends’ conquest of Helsinki begins in the restaurant world

Le Coq – Battle for a Restaurant, a new Finnish comedy on the Arena stage, draws humour from top chefs, restaurant critics and a love of French cuisine. The play, which plays with cultural stereotypes and passions, is the first premiere in Helsinki by the Tampere-based duo Timo Kahilainen and Heikki Vihinen, who are also known from Kummelit. Le Coq – The Battle for a Restaurant, directed by Vihinen, will premiere on 6 February.

“I’m looking forward to my first premiere at HKT. When I was a director in Tampere, I dreamed of visiting Helsinki, and now I finally succeeded! It has been a great experience to come from Tampere to here in the Helsinki metropolitan area to spread the good news of theatre with my brother Kummeli Timo Kahilainen,” says writer and director Heikki Vihinen.

“It’s great to finally be able to try my wings here at a really big church. But we’re safe to go, because HKT’s great ensemble will be there, as well as Jarkko Niemi, Kaisa Hela and Heikki Hela, who is also known from Kummelit,” adds Timo Kahilainen.

The former Michelin-starred restaurant Le Coq, owned by Max von Salmi, is struggling with its debts. Time has passed us by our world-class master chef, customers have disappeared and the restaurant is on the verge of bankruptcy. To save the situation, a new chef who has travelled the world has been hired, whose contract also includes an apartment, a cold room that has been unused for years. Black clouds have gathered in the sky of our protagonist. When an unexpected half-brother from Russia appears to claim the restaurant for himself, a battle for dominance of the restaurant begins. What do freedom, fraternity and equality mean?

The farce novelty written by Timo Kahilainen and Heikki Vihinen stars Riitta Havukainen, Heikki Hela, Kaisa Hela, Jouko Klemettilä, Pertti Koivula, Jarkko Niemi and Eija Vilpas. The set design was designed by Timo Kahilainen and Vilma Mattila and the costumes by Elina Vättö. The lighting design is by Valdemar Virtanen and the sound design by Joonas Outakoski.

Timo Kahilainen and Heikki Vihinen’s journey together began as bandmates already in high school in 1979.  The duo rose to the attention of the whole nation through the humor show Kummeli from 1991 to 1994. Popular Kummeli-themed productions have been made for television for decades and five films in addition – and the duo is still best known as the Kummeli men, despite both of their extensive careers. Heikki Vihinen has worked as the director of the Tampere Theatre for 12 years, and both have written, directed and acted in films and theatre. The Le Coq Battle for a Restaurant is the fifth play by the screenwriter duo. The previous ones were Sauna Evening (2001), Subtenant (2003), Kalliolle kukkulalle (2008) and Maailmanlopun hautaustoimisto (2011), which were loved by the audience in Tampere. The duo is also currently topical on television in connection with the second season of the police series Kontio & Parmas .

Le Coq – The Battle for the Restaurant premieres on 6 February 2020 at 7 pm on the Arena stage of the Helsinki City Theatre (Hämeentie 2)
Tickets: 21,50 – 43 € (incl. pm)

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