Actor: Money laundering play shows Estonians' potential
The Estonian Drama Theater has packed its bags and moved to Tartu for the summer where "Business as Usual" ("Rahamaa"), a story about Estonia's money laundering scandals, will come to the stage. Actor Tõnis Niinemets said the rehearsal process has been like a vacation for him.
The play "Business as Usual" ("Rahamaa") in the Tartu Comb Factory (Kammivabrik) is one of the biggest productions in recent years. "I have not done such a big show before. There are so many elements that you must somehow combine: video, sound, all the movements – it is quite a grand thing," Director Hendrik Toompere Jr told ETV's "Ringvaade" on Monday.
Toompere confessed that he does not understand everything about the money laundering schemes in the play. "But with this story, it is not fully about money laundering. As usual in theater, I am personally intrigued by personal dramas. It puts a great meaning to our recent history."
Lead actor Tõnis Niinemets said a symbiosis of theater and film happens on stage.
"It is the most shocking thing about this entire world, that these people do an excruciating amount of work and the money is tempting. Especially considering where we come from, our background, our geographical position, and our wish to be somewhere where we have not been before. The most eye-opening thing about this has been the material, that there is nothing we can do, we are not Scandinavian," he said.
The music was produced by Maria Faust who said the script greatly inspired her.
"Then I had to contemplate what kind of composition and music fit the theme of this pompous story. The story deserves an excellent musical production," she told the show.
Niinemets has come into contact with Danske Bank's money laundering scandal through sport.
"I was playing volleyball in the Bank of Estonia and the Financial Supervisory Authority. At the time, the Danske Bank's money laundering scandal had just broken and our teammates were dealing with it. You can say that I have come into contact with it a little bit, and it's no big secret that the head of the anti-money laundering department in Estonia is my classmate," he said.
Dramaturg Director Mehis Pihla surprised everyone by dealing with the subject, and pointing out that many things in Estonia are legal. "How much of what happened was legal and to what extent is it difficult to convict anyone for money laundering in Estonia," he said.
"If there's a positive side to these people, I'm glad that we have so many smart people in Estonia who are finding these opportunities. It shows what the potential of the Estonian people is if the traffic light behind which they are now starting would be the right one."
Being part of the team in Tartu gives the group a sigh of relief. "It has a good effect, the concentration on the job and time, thanks to us being here all the time. We discuss what we are doing here outside of rehearsal, which is a big plus," said Toompere.
Niinemets added the process is like a big vacation for him. "The job is cool, the material is cool as is the group, and what happened on the stage is great, to me everything that happens here is captivating."
"Business as Usual" can be seen in Tartu in June and some performances also have English subtitles. It is a part of the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024 main program.
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Editor: Rasmus Kuningas, Lotta Raidna, Helen Wright
Source: "Ringvaade"