Raim stages Valgre’s life backwards in Pärnu

Raimond Valgre’s life unfolds in reverse in Raim, a musical summer production staged in Pärnu, ERR theatre observer Pille-Riin Purje writes in her review.

Written by Ott Kilusk and directed by Kaili Viidas, the production begins with Valgre’s death in 1949, when he was 36, and ends in the summer of 1939. It premiered on August 1 in the courtyard of Pärnu’s Kuursaal.

Raimond Valgre is at the centre of the production, including during its more observational moments. Sander Roosimägi’s performance is musical, sensitive and precise both in its period detail and in its broader portrayal of an artist’s vulnerability. Valgre appears at once bright and minor-key.

The play can initially be difficult to follow because the first act jumps back and forth in time. Year numbers and significant dates pasted onto a notice board provide orientation, as does a three-act summary in the programme, written almost like a short opera libretto. The programme is thorough, informative and interesting, although listing the songs in performance order could also have helped.

The courtyard of the Kuursaal creates an atmosphere shaped by the spirit of the location, although modern-day noise from the summer resort sometimes intrudes. During the performance seen on August 13, motorcycles repeatedly roared nearby. In a quieter dialogue with Alice, Valgre briefly asked whether they could have some silence. Roosimägi’s thoughtful delivery gave the question a wider meaning.

Indrek Aija’s stage design uses a movable curtain that opens and closes and is covered with black-and-white images, allowing the locations to change flexibly. Lighting by Ivar Piterskihh is particularly effective in the finale. The precise arrangements move across two levels of the stage, while sand and a pool of water also contribute to the setting. In the first act, the water appears like a muddy puddle trapped in the era’s tensions; later, it creates a convincing image of Pärnu’s seashore.

Purje writes that she did not share the criticism from the premiere that the opening was excessively grotesque, suggesting that the balance may have settled as the production developed. A pair of clowns, played by Silva Pijon and Hardo Adamson, becomes a recurring ominous marker of the times and a symbol of arrogance and vulgarity.

One painful scene takes place in the composers’ union in 1948, when red clown noses are thrown down at Valgre while his work is mocked. The familiar names of the union’s members prompt reflection on the forced choices made in the whirlpool of history.

Valgre is sympathetically and stylishly surrounded and supported by his bandmates across different periods, portrayed by Simeoni Sundja, Mihkel Kuusk and Hardi Möller, along with musicians. Johannes Richard Sepping creates the role of the young, music-devoted Valter Ojakäär through nuanced minimalism. A witty music-historical exchange creates a bridge between eras when Ojakäär is asked whether he cannot find his song. The line refers to Leelo Tungal’s song Oma laulu ei leia ma üles, written in 1967.

The production also features Harriet Toompere, Hele Palumaa, Luisa Lõhmus, Saara Kaljujärv, Carmen Mikiver, Indrek Taalmaa, Argo Aadli, Mai Ringo, Ingmar Jõela and others. Jõela is the choreographer, Feliks Kütt the music director, Gerly Tinn the costume designer and Ele Sonn the singing teacher.