Pyhän Patrikin päivä eli Luutnantin keinot: Ilveilys

A raucous comedy set on St. Patrick’s Day, this nineteenth‑century Finnish play opens in the cramped quarters of Lieutenant O’Connor’s home, where a band of weary soldiers barges in with a litany of grievances. Their complaints—ranging from dilapidated lodgings and an overbearing judge to the demand for the magistrate’s daughter as a consolation—spark a chaotic council led by the blustering sergeant Trounce and the sardonic corporal Flint. The dialogue crackles with satire, exposing the absurdities of military hierarchy, legal meddling, and the occasional pretence of piety.

Into the fray steps Doctor Rosy, a sharp‑tongued physician who carries her own set of accusations against the same judge, adding a layer of professional rivalry to the farcical scene. As the characters argue, propose outrageous solutions, and toast to “St. Patrick’s and the lieutenant’s” health, the play builds a vivid portrait of a society teetering between order and disorder. Listeners are treated to witty banter, exaggerated personalities, and a lively snapshot of Finnish theatrical humor before the story moves beyond this bustling opening.