Press release 18.1.2012

Kris Gummerus, actor and Artistic Director of Helsinki Fringe Theatre Company is joining the cast of the UK-premiere of Purge, a play by Sofi Oksanen. Kris will be playing the part of Hans Pekk, a political dissident hiding from the authorities in Soviet-occupied Estonia. The play premieres on the 22nd of February and goes on until the end of March. The play has been translated into English by Eva Buchwald.

Kris Gummerus, konstnärlig ledare i teatergruppen Helsinki Fringe, har fått en roll i Sofia Oksanens pjäs Utrensning som sätts upp i London för första gången. Kris spelar rollen som Hans Pekk. Pjäsen har premiär den 22 februari och visas ända till slutet av Mars. Den engelska översättningen står Eva Buchwald för.

Näyttelijä Kris Gummerus, Helsinki Fringe -teatteriryhmän perustajajäsen ja taiteellinen johtaja, on saanut roolin Sofi Oksasen Puhdistus-näytelmän englannin ensi-esityksessä. Kris tulee näyttelemään Hans Pekk:in roolin. Näytelmän ensi-ilta on 22 helmikuuta ja esitykset jatkuvat maaliskuun loppuun. Näytelmän englanninkielisen version on kirjoittanut Eva Buchwald.

Closer reviewed: HBL – November 21 2011

Hufvudstadsbladet’s critic was impressed by Closer. Read the complete review here (in Swedish).

Hi-res scan.

Closer (2011)

YOU DON`T WANT TO MISS THIS…

Premiere: 19 November
Show Dates: 19-27 November & 5-7 & 9 & 11 December
Time: 7 pm
Price: 10 € (students, pensioners & theater professionals) 15 € (normal)
Book tickets: (starting on the 27th of October) info@luckan.fi or 020 7738 400
Online tickets: Here 

by Patrick Marber
We chose to put on Closer as our second play first of all because it is bloody well written. Secondly, we thought tactics. Most people will at least have heard of Closer, maybe even seen the movie – funnily, none of our creative team has seen it. Closer is about the power of sexual attraction and in our modern society sex is everywhere – sex sells. Marber however does make us look at ourselves within the context of sex and relationships and it isn’t always very pretty. Also, knowing that we cater for an audience where native English-speakers will be in the minority; Closer doesn’t frighten us with complicated intellectual arguments – instead the play speaks from the gut – what is being said is only the surface to what actually happens. Now we, the creative team are off for a six-week exploration to chart the ice berg under the surface and bring it to you, our audience. I hope you can make it!

Kris Gummerus (Actor/Director – Helsinki Fringe)

“According to it’s author Closer is about the ‘shock of passion’. The shock of passion is twofold: that you are able to feel any emotion so strongly and that pain is the inseparable partner of desire and jealousy….

…. Patrick told me of two women in their sixties coming out of the auditorium in the interval of a preview of Closer, the last lines of the act still ringing in their ears:

Larry: You like his cock.
Anna: I love it.
Larry: You like him coming in your face.
Anna: Yes.
Larry: What does it taste like?
Anna: It tastes like you but sweeter.
Larry: That’s the spirit. Thank you. Thank you for your honesty. Now fuck off and die. You fucked up slag.

Said the woman ruefully to her friend: “I must have missed out on a lot in my youth.”

From the inroduction by
Richard Eyre in Patrick
Marber Plays:1, Methuen Drama
2004

Creative team for Closer:

Actors: 
Sophia Heikkilä
Elin Petersdottir
Chris Killik
Kris Gummerus

Directed by: Kris Gummerus (HF)
Associate Director: Marc Svanström
Sound Designer: Dimitri Paile
Light Designer: Eric Mutel
Stage Designer: Rici Sirén
Stage Technician: Robert Grew (HF)
Producer: Miira Holländer
Producer: Ona Ukkola
Producer: Sebastian Weckman (HF)

 Get the poster here!

Closer: Helsinki Times – November 17 2011

Closer was discussed in Helsinki Times.

Hi-Res scan.

Closer (2011)

The Dumb Waiter (2010)

The Dumb Waiter (2010)

by Harold Pinter

Two hit-men, Ben and Gus are waiting for their assignment in a basement room. Gus, the younger of the two is edgy and finds it hard to be quiet while Ben tries not to let his colleague’s behaviour affect his professionality. As the two men wait for a message from their employer; mysterious events start occurring that raise the tension in the room. Ben and Gus get increasingly confused and aggitated as they try to figure out what their coming job might involve. The Dumb Waiter is a dark comedy about contained violence, paranoia, friendship and the discipline of killing people.

Written by: Harold Pinter
Directed by: Kris Gummerus and Jonathan Hutchings
Cast: Kris Gummerus and Jonathan Hutchings
Sound Design: Pontus Nybergh

Sound: Robert Grew
Set design: Richard Sirén
Producers: Sebastian Weckman and Karl Norrbom

You can book your tickets from Luckan or over internet at Luckans ticket system.

Tickets: € 7
Date: 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 21, 23, 25, 26, 28, 29 & 30.10 @ 8pm

+358-207- 738400
luckan.fi/helsingfors
info@luckan.fi

The play will last approximately 1 hour – which will leave you with plenty of time to go and have a drink afterwards.

Vasabladet 27 feb 2011

Helsinki Times 14 okt 2010