A father persuades his son to join him on a hunting trip. As they wander through the woods, they come face to face with each other – and themselves.
The father, now realizing time is short, wants to teach his son hunting skills and impart some wisdom along the way. The son, who harbors softer values, would prefer to look at nature in a different way than through the scope of a rifle and goes off into the woods mainly to make his father happy. As often is the case, the son is ashamed of his father and the father of his son. Hirvimetsä ('elk hunting') (2016) is a tragicomic portrayal of the clash of thought between generations and the legacy of masculinity. What can I teach my child? What will be left for those who come after us?
Parallell to this story about the relationship between a father and a son, Salo also explores the mysticism of nature.
The audio version of the play was awarded the 2016 Sokeain Prize (‘The Blind Prize’).
Salo's text is exhilaratingly rich. Layered and tragically comic beyond measure. How ugly, but still hilariously funny, is the way the father talks to his son about life. This also adds an interesting rub between the characters.
Eeli Vilhunen, Democrat, September 8, 2022
The language of the play is charming, the dialogue moves along in a comedic vein. [...] Hirvimetsä's eloquent text is perfect for a soundtrack. The award-winning audio version, made in 2016, relies on eloquent silences and reaches for tragic tones. [...] Comedy and tragedy, everyday talk and poetry, realism and mysticism all come together in the play [...] The play is at its most interesting when it reaches into mysticism and mythology, into the mystery of the future.
Laura Kytölä, Helsingin Sanomat, September 4, 2022
