Theater Review Romantic contemporary classic Silent bridges reflects on life choices and love, but passion is not always up to the stage

Culture|Theater review

Quiet bridges on the small stage of Helsinki City Theater 12.3. Based on a novel by Robert James Waller, dramatized by Liisa Mustonen and Ari-Pekka Lahti. Directed by Liisa Mustonen. ★★★

Is quite the ungrateful premise brings to the stage a familiar story from the beloved version of the film. (It would also make sense to ask why you should even.) A film when, as an art form, it is easier for theater to bring out the internal contradictions and passions of characters, especially in the genre of realism. Romantic stories, especially on the stage, run the risk of numbness in the ears.

Clint Eastwood Robert James Wallerin directed in 1995 on the basis of a bestseller (1992) Quiet bridges is a contemporary classic of romantic films, whose box office magnetism has also been noticed by several theaters. Quiet bridges has been performed on our stage before, at least at the Savonlinna City Theater, the Seinäjoki City Theater and the Rauma City Theater. A musical version of the story has also been made, which will have its Finnish premiere in October at the Turku City Theater.

Liisa Mustonen The performance directed by the city theater is the premiere in Helsinki. Mustonen together Ari-Pekka Lahti with a dramatized performance, it manages to avoid nausea and relies, like a film, on the slow ignition of emotions. Admittedly, as a result of the intense passion of the Iowa housewife Francesca (Merja Larivaara) and photographer Robertin (Kari Heiskanen) is not always up to the auditorium.

It is a pleasure to see Kari Heiskanen on the other side of the ramp for a long time, acting together with Merja Larivaara for the first time. Heiskanen builds his rootless orbiter, Robert, with the quiet power, as opposed to Larivaara’s pulsating Francesca. The description of the relationship is built on a dialogue between the characters about life choices. One has wanted to take root, the other has not. Meeting two different people also creates humor.

Actually a new interpretation of the story is not seen on stage. Like the film, the story is embedded in a frame where Francesca’s children find the diaries of their dead mother out of four days of forbidden passion. Elina Hietala and Mikko Virtanen as children, a perfect reflection of a story set in hot Iowa in the 1960s. Thanks to the frame, we know how the story will eventually happen. The dramatization emphasizes the children and the legacy left to them by the mother. The letter left by the mother changes the lives of the children.

The performance reflects on life choices and love without moralizing. Is it the case that when Francesca and Robert gave up their love, they were allowed to keep it unchanged?

Roseman’s covered bridge is the reason why National Geographic photographer Robert has arrived in Iowa. Although the covered bridge does not become a bigger metaphor in the story itself, its rugged implementation is a bit disappointing. Anyway, the moods are created by very small means, of which Katri Leppälä the soft lights best bring out Iowa’s hot summer.

Production Liisa Mustonen, Antti Mattila and Jukka Puhakka, lighting design Kari Leppälä, sound design Eradj Nazimov, costume design Elina Vättö, projections Mika Haaranen. In the roles Merja Larivaara, Kari Heiskanen, Elina Hietala, Mikko Virtanen.