The show based on A Tale of Love and Darkness is performing on stage in Helsinki, Finland. Premier was on September 6th,2013 in the Finland’s national theatre.
An extract from the review in the leading Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat:
“… I particularly want to recommend this play, based on Amos Oz’s novel A Tale of Love and Darkness, to tell those who feel they really can’t bear to hear a single word about, for example, the State of Israel. The performance, directed by Mikaela Hasan, is full of intensity but devoid of frenzy.
Against the backdrop of family drama, Amos Oz examines the birth of Israel as a nation state in its broad historical context, where the main catalyst was frequently some party other than the Jews. This is also reflected in the fates of various family members.
The author’s attempt to uncover the reasons for his mother’s suicide encompasses not only the founding of the State of Israel or the arrival of his parents in Palestine twenty years before. The investigation takes in a good deal of nineteenth century ideological history as well.
The format of the family chronicle makes this hugely complex issue easy to follow, and as it comes to life on stage, the whole subject matter seems curiously topical and relevant today.
It is rare these days to see a performance so well thought through, and executed with such precision and care. This is another reason why it’s worth spending time in this rich world created on the National Theatre’s Willensauna Stage.”
Lauri Meri
September 8th, 2013
