"Minä pyydän, ettei suuttuisi kukaan,
jos kaikki ei mennyt mielenne mukaan,
oli taitomme puutetta ainoastaan,
jos rikoimme sanaa ja tapoja vastaan."
Arkkienkeli Gabriel (Tiina Laulaja) puhuu yleisölle pahoittelevan sävyyn, varmuuden vuoksi, Joulukuussa 2007 esitetyn Oberuferilaisen Paimennäytelmän lopussa. Tämä oli kuitenkin osa näytelmän virallista käsikirjoitusta.
The Medieval Oberufer Play "The Shepherds" was performed at the Michael Hall of Rudolf Steiner school in Helsinki, December 2007 (and again in December 2010 at the Snellman College). Me and Laura were asked to come along. I have to say this has been one of the highlights of my career, as the version here was not "another Christmas play".
It was real mythic theatre on a stage where something sacred could be felt or sensed. The atmosphere was beautiful, warm and heart-moving. This was a perfect way for me to approach the story itself, that otherwise seems so difficult. The post-modern culture we are still living in tries to keep the Door of Perception closed from us (with a similar dead end in the so-called Bible belt movements, those who want to open their "religion" in a fundamental way). It seems that mythic theatre is the key to this door, because it covers a wide space in "the collective unconscious", wide enough to touch the souls of the audience, each in their own way, without being subject to criticism in any of its guises, from irony or nihilism to God knows what else (and the dis-guises have been ever increasing in numbers, even more so lately).
"...Licht, das erwärmet
die armen Hirtenherzen..."
("...Light that gives warmth
to simple Shepherds' hearts....")
-R.S. / The Foundation Stone Meditation
It is quite easy to lose sight of the level of consciousness myths have enshrined for us, and therefore it is necessary to remind people of its existence. Or at the very least that there is much more than meets the eye (at first or even second sight). In December 2007 I played a minor part in the role of Rufinus, the inn-keeper who doesn't welcome the strangers, for his guesthouse is already booked. Later I had a main role, as one of the shepherds. They are simple men who have compassion in their hearts, and so the archangel Gabriel appears to them in their sleep. (The events are from the Gospel of Luke, and somehow bring to mind some of the teachings of Buddha.)
In Oberufer plays all the actors form a kind of chorus resembling that of ancient Greek, and they walk around the stage and audience, while singing folkish tunes. These moments also work as a transition between the different chapters of the play. The effect is real and powerful, to say the least.
In Oberufer plays all the actors form a kind of chorus resembling that of ancient Greek, and they walk around the stage and audience, while singing folkish tunes. These moments also work as a transition between the different chapters of the play. The effect is real and powerful, to say the least.
The inn-keeper's wife Servilus
(Laura Vilva) and The Star Singer of the actors (Pekka Asikainen) fooling around with
the Pentagram, the image of man's etheric shape. I am forever and deeply grateful to our Wagnerian from the Opera house, Pekka
Asikainen, for giving me the chance to participate in this.
"Erwärme unsere Herzen;
erleuchte unsere Häupter;
dass gut werde, was wir
aus Herzen gründen,
aus Häuptern
zielvoll führen wollen."
("Warm Thou our hearts,
enlighten Thou our heads,
that good may become
what from our hearts
we would found,
and from our heads direct
with single purpose.")
-R.S. / The Foundation Stone Meditation
"...Licht, das erleuchtet
die weisen Königshäupter.."
("...Light that enlightens
the wise heads of Kings...")
-R.S. / The Foundation Stone Meditation
Epiphany,
2010. The Oberufer Folkplay "Three Wise Kings" was acted out at the
Michael Hall in Lehtikuusentie, Helsinki. It was the second time in a
row, the first being played a year before. They were both unique, for different reasons.
The Magi come a long way, following the star in the heavens, known as the Hexagram (also the image of astral forces in man). The astrological story tells us that Saturn and Jupiter form a similar picture with their movements every now and then, and the wise kings knew about these esoteric dimensions. Around the time of birth described in the Gospel of Matthew there was a spectacular constellation taking place. The Magi went searching for their new-born Master Zarathustra. In the Oberufer play one of the kings refers to this astrological side in a clear but folkish way. The blue photos were taken by Petri Mikkola.
The Magi come a long way, following the star in the heavens, known as the Hexagram (also the image of astral forces in man). The astrological story tells us that Saturn and Jupiter form a similar picture with their movements every now and then, and the wise kings knew about these esoteric dimensions. Around the time of birth described in the Gospel of Matthew there was a spectacular constellation taking place. The Magi went searching for their new-born Master Zarathustra. In the Oberufer play one of the kings refers to this astrological side in a clear but folkish way. The blue photos were taken by Petri Mikkola.
"Mitä auttaa kunnia, tahi kruunu, valtikka?
On kaikella loppunsa, kun tulee kuolema,
on kaikella loppunsa, kun tulee kuolema!"
The Austrian linguist and historian Karl Julius Schröer collected these medieval folk-plays near Bratislava, where the small village of Oberufer was located. There was still a German colony where both Protestant and Catholic people had been living in surroundings that were somehow untouched by the modern progress. Something of the unique, pure and authentic medieval German style had been preserved in their Christmas traditions. Schröer showed these Oberufer plays to his young student at the Viennese university, Rudolf Steiner, who would take it all very seriously (and eventually to the stage of Goetheanum). The founder of the Christian Community in Finland, Helmer Knutar, said plays like this are always contemporary and ever new, giving people a chance to re-interpret endlessly. So, these topics are never out-of-date.
In January 2010 I played the part of Joseph, but in January 2009 it had been my time to be the Devil. And together with my friend Herodes (Markku Maula), we gave them hell on stage. You wouldn't believe it by looking at the picture below, but the atmosphere was infernal, even so much that no one asked me to play the Devil again. I used a throat sound from the old school, for better or worse. I had heard about the way Steiner was acting out the role of the Devil, and this may have affected my behaviour. As it happened, it was not my intention to scare a child in the audience. But unlike The Shepherds, this is not a play for little children. Of course, after decades of Satanic imagery, none of our teenagers is going to be shocked by anything seen on stage anymore. Spiritually speaking, it was quite a show. I am not being that serious.
In January 2010 I played the part of Joseph, but in January 2009 it had been my time to be the Devil. And together with my friend Herodes (Markku Maula), we gave them hell on stage. You wouldn't believe it by looking at the picture below, but the atmosphere was infernal, even so much that no one asked me to play the Devil again. I used a throat sound from the old school, for better or worse. I had heard about the way Steiner was acting out the role of the Devil, and this may have affected my behaviour. As it happened, it was not my intention to scare a child in the audience. But unlike The Shepherds, this is not a play for little children. Of course, after decades of Satanic imagery, none of our teenagers is going to be shocked by anything seen on stage anymore. Spiritually speaking, it was quite a show. I am not being that serious.
The make-up was done by a professional from the Finnish National Opera. Notice the medieval street-theater look. My mask had some resemblance to the corpse paint used in black metal (and I had the old black leather jeans and my worn-out, rotten boots left over from the ancient times). Had there not been a few "spiritual elders" present, I may not have dared to do this at all. There are no pictures or records of the play itself. And no electricity or machines of any kind were used (except the lights of course). Now you still wouldn't believe, and I'm just saying. You don't have to believe. But those who were there in the audience may disagree with you.