The Aleksis Kivi play, which will premiere on 17 February 2022, is part of the National Theatre’s 150th anniversary programme. The co-production between the National Theatre, Red Nose Company and Avant Chamber Orchestra will tour to theatres all over Finland in the autumn, with the participation of the City Theatres of Jyväskylä, Lahti, Kuopio and Turku and the Tampere Workers’ Theatre.
The Red Nose Company’s Aleksis Kivi is a comedy about the man who became a monument. For the first time, musicians will appear on stage alongside the acting duo Timo Ruuskanen and Tuukka Vasama. The Avant Chamber Orchestra’s string quartet includes Eriikka Maalismaa, Terhi Paldanius, Tommi Asplund, Olga Reskalenko, Santtu Podzniakov and Joasia Cieślak, led by Niko Kumpuvaara on accordion. The music is arranged by Marzi Nyman.
The performance will be co-directed with the actors by Linda Wallgren, whose Kivi interpretations have recently been seen in Turku and Lahti. The script has been created in collaboration with Eva Buchwald, dramaturg at the National Theatre.
The Red Nose Company and Avanti!
Avanti! was chosen as Red Nose Company’s partner because the attitudes and practices of the partners seemed to be mutually supportive. Experimentation is allowed and the programme can include surprises. Tuukka Vasama, Executive Director of the Red Nose Company, feels a clear affinity with the people of Avant.
– Avant’s musicians are bold, open-minded and flexible. Top professionals who play with a good boogie. Our performances always include improvisation, so Niko Kumpuvaara’s role as the quartet leader is also important. Niko’s experience with different musical styles and different configurations comes in handy here. I’m really looking forward to playing our joint performance with the band for the audience,” Vasama smiles.
Avant’s Artistic Director Kari Kriikku is also excited about the collaboration. Kriikku believes that theatre-makers and musicians have a lot to share and that a joint project will inspire both parties.
– Red Nose Company’s venture into the world of Aleksis Kivi feels interesting and bold, but also somehow comfortably familiar. Avanti! has made similar moves in music. Theatre fascinates both me and our musicians. I am sure that the people of Avanti will thoroughly enjoy the production,” Kriikku sums up.
Finnish national themes also present in music
Music is an important part of the Aleksis Kivi performance. The music ranges from classical music to popular music favourites. Arrangements for string quartet are by the boundary-breaking Marzi Nyman.
– Our work is centred around the Finnish national theme. We bring out the more lyrical side of Kivi’s texts and feel that through music we can bring out the musical qualities of Kivi’s language. We are helped in this by Marz’s arrangements, which also conjure up Sibelian echoes in contemporary music,” says Vasama.
WORKING GROUP
Actors Timo Ruuskanen and Tuukka Vasama
Accordion, music direction Niko Kumpuvaara
String Quartet (Chamber Orchestra Avanti!) Eriikka Maalismaa / Terhi Paldanius / Tommi Asplund (violin), Olga Reskalenko / Santtu Podzniakov (viola) / Joasia Cieślak (cello)
Text and dramaturgy Eva Buchwald, Timo Ruuskanen, Linda Wallgren and Tuukka Vasama
Directed by Timo Ruuskanen, Linda Wallgren and Tuukka Vasama
Dramaturg Eva Buchwald
Set and costume design Tarja Simone
Lighting design Ville Virtanen
Camouflage design Petra Kuntsi
Music arranged by Marzi Nyman and Niko Kumpuvaara
Duration approx. 2 hours (including intermission)
AGE ADVICE:
For adults, 13 years and up. Suitable for junior high school and high school students.
PERFORMANCE DAYS AT THE NATIONAL THEATRE 2022 (weekdays at 19:00, Saturdays at 14:00)
Thu 17.2. | Sat 19.2. | Thu 3.3. | Tue 8.3. | Tue 15.3. | Wed 23.3. | Tue 29.3. | Fri 22.4. | Mon 25.4. | Thu 28.4.
Ten performances at the National Theatre. The performance will go on tour from the Kansallisteatter to various parts of Finland. The tour will start in autumn 2022. The co-production also includes Jyväskylä City Theatre, Lahti City Theatre, Kuopio City Theatre, Tampere Labour Theatre, Turku City Theatre and the chamber orchestra Avanti!
More information about the show on the Red Nose Company website
