Figaro 1917 (English)
Synopsis in English
Mariehamn, the last hot summers day 1917 (or something of the like)
The telegraphist’s tower. Early morning. Figaro is the first on Åland to learn of the Russian revolution, and decides to keep this secret to himself.
Susanna’s bathing establishment. Ann- Katrina brings Figaro a petition to join Åland with Sweden, and Susanna tries out her new machine for spa treatments.
Ulla-Lina finds Figaro’s letter to the Swedish king. Together with Bartolo she conspires to make Figaro her husband and artist’s model, and earn Bartolo a better job.
The spa. Ulla-Lina warns Susanna that she could lose her company if she doesn’t let Figaro go. Instead – Susanna gives a foot massage strong enough to shut Ulla-Lina up.
Svensson tries to collect the petition and letter for his king, but the Commandant interrupts his political love song and Svensson hides in the changing room booth.
The Commandant lays out his plan for Susanna; the two of them will run away to Moscow and begin their new happy spa life.
”Basilio” comes to get his expensive mud bath and the Commandant also hides in the changing booth. From his hiding place, he overhears all the gossip about himself, Svensson and everybody. His rage is unyielding and Svensson is put on the spot.
Luckily, at that moment, Figaro arrives with a group of Åland activists, who give ”tribute” to the Commandant for his great additions to the language policy on the island.
Svensson is ordered away to Murmansk and Figaro gives a crash course in military behaviour.
The spa. The Countess longs for the love of her youth Jean Sibelius. She, Susanna and Figaro conceive a plan for getting the right woman to Moscow with the Commandant; the two of them will switch clothes and so fool everybody.
The young Svensson has stayed on Åland in secret. To protect him from the Commandant, Susanna and the Countess hide him in the women’s sauna after teaching him how to act in there.
The Commandant smells trouble and as he is getting his tools, Svensson jumps straight out of the window into the flower bed outside. The Commandant returns, only to find nothing but naked women in the sauna. He is forced to apologize to Susanna and the Countess.
Figaro rushes in to tell Susanna about the meeting he’s organizing in the park, and so the Commandant’s suspicions against his telegraphist rise yet again.
Things aren’t in any way helped by an outraged Antonio storming in. Someone jumping from the window has destroyed his potato patch, and on top of it all he found a letter to the Swedish king amongst the spuds.
The Countess, Susanna and Figaro join forces and manage to pass the whole thing off as a harmless piece of bathing suit advertisement.
The Commandant is not happy. Ulla-Lina, Bartolo and ”Basilio” come to his aid, claiming to have proof of Figaro’s planned coup d’etat. The future of the free Åland, and of Figaro’s and Susanna’s engagement, looks pretty bleak, to say the least.
Intermission
The bathing establishment’s park. The Commandant is in pain. Will Susanna run away with him, or will she betray him like everyone else has?
Susanna pretends to agree to his travel plans, but then the Commandant overhears her bragging to Figaro about her cunning ways. He decides to punish everyone who dares play with his emotions.
The spa. The Countess can’t understand how she ended up in this provincial town, and dreams once more of her stint as Jean Sibelius’ lover. ”Basilio” happily helps her out.
The Countess teaches Susanna her best seduction skills, to make sure the Commandant is smitten. Ann-Katrina and her colleagues at the spa visit their CEO Susanna to demand a pay rise.
Figaro and Ann-Katrina save Svensson from punishment. The steam boat arrives with the Commandant’s important guests, and everyone must hurry to the harbour to greet them.
The docks. A welcoming ceremony for the international tourists. The Commandant stealthily buys tickets for this evening, and bestows them upon Ann-Katrina to give to Susanna. In all the commotion, she drops them. Utterly crushed, Ann-Katrina believes she has let down everything and everyone she loves. Figaro finds the tickets, but to mask his jealousy he pretends they are for his and Susanna’s honeymoon.
Ulla-Lina nds Figaro in this vulnerable state and blackmails him into modeling for her coming master piece ”The Naked Man at the Wheel.”
The park. Evening. Ann-Katrina arrives for the secret meeting but nds no one. Since Figaro is spying on his ancée on the docks, ”Basilio” seizes the opportunity to present his technique for survival: the strategy of the turncoat. Far from everyone accepts this ideology and chaos ensues. The telegraphist’s tower. Night. Figaro is jealous and cross with all women.
The docks. Susanna and the Countess have switched clothes and makes Figaro believe that the woman out in the fog is Susanna.
Susanna has difficulties understanding her fiancé, but his pained heart still makes her love him more.
Svensson searches in vain for the meeting that never happened, and gets excited when he, too, takes the woman on the docks for Susanna. The Commandant catches them mid-conversation and Svensson runs for his life. Figaro does the same and the Commandant was just about to board the steam boat when a paparazzi snaps a compromising picture.
At last, Figaro understands who the real Susanna is and they are reconciled.
The park. The Commandant holds court, and we find out Figaro is an orphan found in a champagne box by the small islands Kobba klintar. The parents turn out to be no other than Ulla-Lina and Bartolo. Happiness and confusion. The petition sails away to the king aboard the steam boat.
This newfound idyllic family proves intolerable to the Commandant and ”Basilio” who leave for reenforcement. When they barge back in, Figaro shocks everyone present with the news of the Russian revolution. Every power structure crumbles. The Commandant is inconsolable.
The Countess saves the day by forgiving her husband everything. So the Commandant, Russia, Åland and the spa can start anew.
A free Finland and a Swedish Åland!