Jussi Tossavainen\u2019s review in Helsingin sanomat 4th of September 2017<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I thought I would say that Glims & Gloms Dance Company\u2019s Mr Hillo\u2019s Confusion is not theater for children. I want to correct my opinion. This is specifically for children, and especially intended to be seen by teenagers and their educators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here Espoo has an artist couple that the city perhaps does not deserve. Simo Heiskanen and Tuomo Railo ventilate attitudes on every front: as dancers and as makers of children\u2019s theater, and Railo as a physically strong dancer as well as a talented artist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Going to see the performance of Heiskanen\u2019s new JAM \u2013 Mr Hillo\u2019s Confusion, I thought I was going to a jolly, traditional Finnish children\u2019s theater performance, but it turned out to be anything but that. Drawing from the tradition of Commedia dell\u2019arte, the performance presents the archetypal roles, but mixes them merrily. It doesn\u2019t matter which role each and everyone is playing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Heiskanen himself acts as the master of ceremonies who presents the characters, wearing a classical clown\u2019s makeup, of course. The court jester has always gotten to tell the truth in a clown\u2019s costume.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The performance confuses how you think and how you could think in a different way. Mikko Makkonen plays the role of the charming Esmeralda without making the character a drag show travesty. In his floaty skirt and princess costume he does not taunt girlhood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jonna Aaltonen in the role of Urho does not choose the most obvious path, either. She has realised that being a man doesn\u2019t mean chortling and groin rubbing. Urho is, despite his name, a small person who is carried and tossed around by others. Gender stereotypes get mocked without a trace of bitterness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve always loved Eero Vesterinen\u2019s natural way combining motion and expression. Now he has been given, according to my interpretation, the role of Arlecchino. In this role, you can say anything without gendering. And he certainly does! Vesterinen\u2019s motion and body language feature every little nuance that you can imagine to be expressed. I could watch his physical presence forever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Heiskanen himself has composed the music for his work. As a renaissance character, he manages to make pastiches of the piano music accompanying silent movies and sound effects all the way to the strong ballads of the political song movement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The style chosen for Mr Hillo\u2019s Confusion \u2013 combining classical theater style with silent movies, miming and slapstick \u2013 works perfectly. The name of the work tells and does not tell something of it. This does, after all, create confusion.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"esityskategoria":[45],"class_list":["post-1273","arvio","type-arvio","status-publish","hentry","esityskategoria-jam-herra-hillon-hammennys-en"],"yoast_head":"\n