Cherished Disappointments in Love

The main character of the play, an editor-in-chief of a big Tampere newspaper and a dignified older woman, falls head over heels in love with Finland’s youngest doctor of philosophy, Himanen. Confronted with this sudden love, she is prepared to make any sacrifice, both personal in terms of her own female body and professional in terms of the enormous influence that she wields in her native city. Indeed, she is even prepared to change the Tampere international theatre festival into an international festival of philosophy. To her great misfortune, Himanen joins the army for his national service, with an intention of turning every conscript into a philosopher. The army, however, shows no mercy to the country’s youngest philosopher and so, weary of being bullied, Himanen leaves the army. Yet, he is not able to do so alone, for the company sergeant major considers it his duty to save Himanen: “I shall make Himanen a man”, a task he energetically assigns to himself. The events of the play take place during the course of one night in the lady editor’s Tampere flat, where her young rival, Kati Herukka, also appears, seeking Himanen’s love. During the course of the night, the four characters’ most secret love fantasies are revealed, and in this passionate night of love, the happiness brought by love and the disappointments born of the lack of it alternate, as the title delightfully suggests. (Tinfo/Sunklo)