Text: Henrik Ibsen/Gösta Kjellin Director: Harry Guttormsen Set-design: Gunnar Fretheim Puppets: Jaap den Hertog Music: Frode Fjellheim First played by Jaap den Hertog and Ole Bruun-Rasmussen. Nowadays by Jaap and Bjørn Myrholdt Performed in: Norway, Sweden, Danmark, The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Burkina Faso. Typical "Ronzebons" (open air booth) puppet version of Norways national epos, also suitable for indoor performances. Especially made for teenager-audiences. Fascinating blend of norwegian folklore, dutch humour and rough puppetry in and around the puppet-booth. Created in 1992. Performances in dutch, norwegian, french, and english. Technical information: Lasts: 66 min. Preparation: 3 Hrs. up, 1 Hr. down Height: Min. 3 mtr. Area: Min. 4 x 4 mtr. , Indoors or out-. Needs a quiet area if outdoors. Current: 240V/16 amp. Audience: Max 250
"Peer Gynt" as a puppet-entertainment in market-places and town square for the amusement of the masses: an outcry or a serious interpretation in the spirit of the poet? Norway has no tradition of streetpuppetry. As opposed to almost every other European country: Denmark, Germany and Sweden have their Kaspertheatre, Great Britain has Punch,The Netherlands Jan Klaassen and so on. The tradistion started probably in Greece more than 2000 years ago and since then this kind of theatre has stayed faithfull its clear story, its social sting and its folk hero. Norway may not have Punch, but Norway has Peer Gynt. Ibsens hero is clearly related to the heroes mentioned before: The restless, weak, egocentric, mythomaniac seducer. Even the dramaturgy in "Peer Gynt" resembles the Punch & Judy show: When John Barton concludes his version of Peer Gynt at the Oslo National Theatere in '91 with Peers victory over the messenger of death, this can be understood as a clear "Punch"-quotation. Also the function of critizising society is well taken care of by Ibsen. the only problem: Ibsen loves words very much. Which makes the play difficult for street-theatre. Our version relates the contents of the play through the use of the images and the proverbs as well as other important elements from the original text. The material is substantiated by bringing the puppets in direct dialogue with their puppeteers and their audience - according to tradition. Ibsen himself began his theatre-career by performing with puppets at home on his parents farm at Venstøp, so we feel that we are in good company.

Last update: November 14, 2004