Review: Rimakauhua rakkaudessa

THE BAR IS FAR EXCEEDED

Studio Pasila in Helsinki has an intimate atmosphere when the autumn novelty, Rima kauhua kärleksta (Horror of Love), composed by David Shire, strikes the autumn longing with the power of skilfully executed music. There is no coherent story in the performance, but episode after episode carries a downright show. At times, there is serious relationship drama, but soon playful and cat-like seduction creeps onto the scene.

According to director Milko Lehto , few processes have been as fun and pleasant as in Rimakauhu. The Helsinki City Theatre’s experiment thus became an autumn stimulus for skilled actors-singers.

The performance, consisting of 21 songs, moves forward without joints, as the quartet Hanna Kaila, Katja Kiuru, Sami Hokkanen and Antti Timonen charmingly grasp the rhythms. Hannu Leivo’s Finnish translations of Richard Maltby’s texts are functional. One of the gems will be Sai, performed by bassist Hanna Kaila .

Inevitably, this musical will give rise to the idea of a so-called Christmas party play, but even beyond lightness and some vulgarity, it is worth supporting this ensemble, whose musical education is included and the flexibility of acting is visible. Timonen and Hokkanen are graduates of the music programme at the Theatre Academy, Pauliina Kiuru has also studied at the Sibelius Academy, and Hanna Kaila has studied to become a singing teacher.

Antti Timonen is currently one of our most employed actors. His classical solo singing training and tenor are also his strengths in the theatre. He describes the music of the horror of the bar as very demanding, but at the same time he is so enthusiastic that the towel is swinging. With Sami Hokkanen , he plays with how the young man can cope with a fast pace of work. But the reason for coping is downright passion for one’s own work.

At times, pianist Jukka Nykänen is also in the voice, whose role with bassists Häkä Virtanen and Pekka Korhonen is visible – all the time on stage.

Horror of the Bar in Love is a vitamin injection that lasts just under two hours for lovers of popular music and for those who have run out of steam. Director Milko Lehto reminded us that the text is not quite as lacking in depth as it seems at first glance.