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Halle Marshall goes behind the scenes of Oulun Lyseo’s
latest production.
What do you get when you mix one
hypochondriac prince, two evil witches, a narrator who can’t seem to stay out of
their own story, and a sprinkling of assorted country bumpkins and clowns? The answer is: the recipe for Oulun Lyseo’s
uproarious production of Hillary de Piano’s The Love of Three Oranges.
Based on an old Italian comedy, but with a modern spin,
The Love of Three Oranges is the
story of miserable Prince Tartaglia who is doomed by the evil witch Fata Morgana
to endure a treacherous quest for three...er...oranges. Along the way, he encounters formidable foes,
like the donkey of unspeakable horror, and in the end finds friendship, love,
and, most importantly, laughter.
At a technical rehearsal of the show, I
spoke with final-year student and director, Silja Kupiainen, who chose the script
because it showcases a wide variety of theatrical techniques, especially those
related to comedy.
‘There’s a lot going on with the music and
the lighting. And we can use different
acting traditions. We have a puppet in our play also.’
Well-timed sound effects and elements of slap-stick
comedy find their way into the production and heighten the hilarity of witty
banter and jokey asides. Kupiainen is
quick to note that part of her interest in The Love of Three Oranges was due simply
to its entertainment value. ‘It’s really
funny!’ When a tour of the set reveals a
pile of brightly colored court jester-type costumes and a rubber chicken, I’m
confident that the audience is in for a wild ride.
For Kupiainen, the best part of being
involved with the play is working with a team that is passionate about what they
do, and that this quality is transmitted to the audience.
‘I can promise that they can see our
enthusiasm in the play...for us it’s always a pleasure to introduce another play
for our audience.’
Her enthusiasm is echoed by the cast. Arttu
Pasanen, who plays the sickly but determined Prince Tartaglia, clearly
relishes his part.
‘It’s quite easy to act him because you can
just go overboard!’ Indeed, watching the
rehearsal, I’m struck by how this group of twenty-odd chatty, wise-cracking
teenagers snaps to attention under Kaupiainen’s firm but friendly direction as
they run through the show’s lighting and sound cues, both of which are also
being handled by students from Oulun Lyseo.
The actors are nervous at first, and there are a few
hiccups in the timing, but they seem to gain confidence and lose themselves in
their roles as their zany dialogue produces giggles from the few onlookers.
 On a final note, Kupiainen makes a plug for
the show and stresses the accessibility of the production for the wider Oulu
community. ‘I wish that many people
would come and see it because it’s in English and the student productions are
always something different.’
One question remains, however, and that is:
why oranges? When asked, Kupiainen keeps
mum on the subject. The curious will
just have to come and see for themselves.
The Love of Three Oranges is playing at
Valve, in downtown Oulu, 23, 29, and
30 January at 18.00. Ticket prices are
5€ for students and 7€ for all others.
More information can be found on the Valve website, www.kulttuurivalve.fi
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