Review: Venus turkiksissa

Venus in fur ponders the status and sexuality of women

Putous actor in a demanding role

When walking around Helsinki, you could hardly not have come across a picture of actress Armi Toivanen lying with a shirtless man. The emotionally charged image is used to advertise the Helsinki City Theatre’s play Venus in Furs.

First of all, the plot must be revealed that at least the play does not proceed to bedtime. That is why there is no age recommendation for the play. However, it cannot be blamed for a lack of courage.

Toivanen has previously been seen in comedies such as Putous. The play Venus in Furs is a completely new kind of conquest for him.

Toivanen’s character, Vanda, is a strong-willed and determined person. The role is demanding, but she copes with it brilliantly.

It was a pleasure to see him in such a play. The performance clearly shows his talent: he is also good at more serious topics. A performance does not always have to be just circus and comedy.

A play or a script?

Alongside Toivanen, Sampo Sarkola will be seen in the play. Both stars are undoubtedly the best thing the country has to offer. They fill the Pengerkatu stage well with their personalities.

Thomas, played by Sarkola, is the director of the new play. He is currently looking for a lead actor. However, the auditions are over and he is about to go home after a day at work.

As thunder rumbles outside, a woman steps through the door of the theatre and says that she has come to audition. On top of that, she has the same name as the woman in the lead role in the play: Vanda.

He has a script for the play in his bag, different costumes and, as if by chance, he knows the play by heart. The director and Vanda begin to go through the performance page by page as the thunder rumbles and sometimes darkens the lights. At the same time, reality and the play seem to blend into each other.

The atmosphere intensifies and the pace of the play picks up towards the end. Where does all this lead?

The woman decides, the man submits

The play had a palpably dense and strong atmosphere. A play within a play is a cunning starting point. The same setting has been successfully utilised alongside the play Venus in Furs, for example, in the acclaimed film Armi elä.

The play deals with challenging topics from the role of women to the realization of one’s own sexuality. Traditionally, in a relationship, the man is seen as dominant and the woman as submissive. However, the relationship between Thomas and Vanda is the opposite: the woman orders and the man submits.

Vanda’s dream seems to be masochistic sex. On the other hand, it is impossible to distinguish whether the wish is a real or a scripted Vanda.