Revenge is black as the river of hell
Text Susanna Poikela Photos Rebeca Parbus
“Black as the river of hell,” is how Kullervo describes his story, even before it has begun. The audience falls silent, one man’s war against his own destiny begins.
VAT Theatre’s Kullervo is about anger, revenge, and above all the wrong choices that lead the story’s anti-hero inexorably towards its miserable end.
A fratricidal war has destroyed Kullervo’s family. The only survivor is Kullervo, a beautiful, yellow-haired young man growing up in slavery in his father’s brother’s house. What will Kullervo, born of noble blood and called a slave by all, do? The play sweeps the audience along like a river that cannot be escaped.
Kullervo can see no further than his next step. He does everything with vigour: dreams, kills, dreams – even makes love. Too late, the young man realises that anger does not bring justice, but destroys everything around him.
The tragic tale of Kullervo, is one of the great stories of the Kalevala, by Elias Lönnrot. In this rendition, directed by Aare Toikka, Kullervo rises in search of a just world and freedom on the VAT theatre stage. The title role is played by Pääru Oja.
Kullervo premiered on January 23 and the next performances will take place on the main stage of the VAT Theatre on February 19, February 20, March 24 and March 25.
Tickets for the screenings can be bought from Piletimaailm.
To learn more about this and similar topics
Aare Toikka
Elias Lönnrot
Kalevala
Kullervo
Pääru Oja
Theatre in Tallinn
Theatre Performances Estonia
VAT theatre
