Oslo International Theatre presents the Norwegian premiere of

Attempts on Her Life

by Martin Crimp

a rehearsed reading at Vardeteatret in Oslo

Translated by: Katharina Gellein Viken

Directed by: Øystein Ulsberg Brager

With: Katharina Gellein Viken, Christoffer Hag Maure, Robert Rustad Amundsen og Torgny G. Aanderaa

Produced by: Michael H. Sciarrone

Thursday 11th March at 7pm at Vardeteatret, Rådhusgt. 19 in Oslo, Norway

Tickets can be reservered via oslointernasjonaleteater@gmail.com

Attempts on Her Life is a modern masterpiece by British dramatist Martin Crimp.

When it burst onto stage in 1997 at London’s Royal Court theatre it created both immense excitement and considerable bafflement. It’s the work of a freewheeling imagination in which seventeen scenarios collide to create the portrait of a highly ambiguous character called ‘Anne’. With each scenario we are presented with a different facet of her enigma. Is she a porn star, an international terrorist, a victim of aliens, a physicist or indeed a make of car? Martin Crimp presents us with all these options in this virtuosic tour de force of a play which is by turns funny, shocking, entertaining and sad. More than a decade after its’ premiere Attempts on Her Life has become an established modern classic and a major influence on young writers the world over. OIT is proud to present the first reading of this extraordinary piece in Norway in a brand new translation by Katharina Gellein Viken.

Welcome to Attempts on Her Life!

Philip Thorne

Joint artistic director of Imploding Fictions and dramaturg for Oslo International Teater

About Crimp and Attempts on Her Life:

The most radically interrogative play in western mainstream theatre since Beckett.

Mary Luckhurst

The piece has a kaleidoscopic vigour … It is driven by a radical contempt for the new global capitalism and its attempt to turn us all into peripatetic, depersonalised consumers … He may have dispensed with plot and characters,  but he has proved that the act of theatre can still survive if it is propelled by moral fervour.

Michael Billington, Guardian

This is what the brave new theatre of the 21st Century will look like – both on stage and on the page.

Nicholas de Jongh

[Crimp] has an extraordinary fastidiousness about language … He displays the formal bravura of one who delights in his craft.

Independent on Sunday (om Crimps The Country)

Martin Crimp is one of the hottest properties in Europe.

Guardian

For more information on OIT see:

http://oslointernasjonaleteater.wordpress.com

Oslo International Theatre is a project run by Imploding Fictions:

www.implodingfictions.com

Attempts on her Life by Martin Crimp was first presented by the English Stage Company at the Royal Court Theatre.

Publisher: Nordiska ApS

Photo from OITs reading of Seven Other Children by Richard Stirling. From the left: Sveinung Oppegaard and Torgny G. Aanderaa. Copyright: Michael H. Sciarrone

- Oystein

Hannah, Sammy and the two Hamletmachine robots, photo: Tamás Kiraly

We come straight from another two successful Hamletmachine performances at the lovely Théâtre la Vignette in Montpellier, to a completely new departure in Oslo: We are starting Oslo International Theatre (OIT), our first big project in Norway. Below you find an invitation (both in Norwegian and English) to our very first rehearsed reading. We hope to see you there!

INVITASJON

Oslo Internasjonale Teater inviterer til iscenesatt lesning av

Sju Jødiske Barn av Caryl Churchill og Sju Andre Barn av Richard Stirling

med påfølgende paneldebatt

Tid: 12. november klokken 19:00

Sted: Vardeteatret, Rådhusgata 19, Oslo

Pris: Fri entré, innsamling til inntekt for Medical Aid for Palestinians og One Voice Movement

Medvirkende: Terje Skonseng Naudeer, Thea Borring Lande, Sveinung Oppegaard, Torgny Aanderaa, Ingrid Askvik og Tor Itai Keilen

Regi: Øystein Ulsberg Brager

OIT presenterer Sju Jødiske Barn av Caryl Churchill og Sju Andre Barn av Richard Stirling med påfølgende paneldebatt, og stiller spørsmålet: Hvilken rolle kan dramatikken spille i forhold til konfliktsituasjoner verden over? Deltagere i panelet er blant annet Gunnar Germundson fra Dramatikerforbundet og litteraturviter Rana Issa. Dramaturg Njål Mjøs leder debatten. Det er fri entré, og OIT vil etter dramatikernes ønske samle inn penger som deles likt mellom Medical Aid for Palestine og One Voice Movement.

Det er begrenset med publikumskapasitet, så hvis du ønsker å sikre plass er det mulig å sende epost med navn og antall publikumere til: oslointernasjonaleteater@gmail.com

Vi vil etterhvert opprette en egen mailingliste for OIT som kun omhandler våre arrangementer i Norge. Om du ønsker å stå på denne er det hyggelig om du sender en email med «Påmelding OIT nyhetsbrev» i emnefeltet til: oslointernasjonaleteater@gmail.com

Mer info finnes på http://oslointernasjonaleteater.wordpress.com

Vi håper du kan komme torsdag 12. november!

Hamletmachine in Montpellier, photo: Tamás Kiraly

INVITATION

Oslo International Theatre invites you to a rehearsed reading of

Seven Jewish Children by Caryl Churchill and Seven Other Children by Richard Stirling with a following panel debate

When: 12th November at 7pm

Where: Vardeteatret, Rådhusgata 19, Oslo, Norway

Entry: Free, a collection is made for Medical Aid for Palestinians and One Voice Movement

Cast: Terje Skonseng Naudeer, Thea Borring Lande, Sveinung Oppegaard, Torgny Aanderaa, Ingrid Askvik and Tor Itai Keilen

Directed by: Oystein Ulsberg Brager

The reading will take place in Norwegian.

OIT presents Seven Jewish Children Caryl Churchill and Seven Other Children by Richard Stirling with a following panel debate. We ask the question: What role can the theatre play in relation to areas of conflict around the world? Amongst others the leader of the Norwegian Playwrights’ Organisation, Gunnar Germundson, and fellow of the University of Marburg, Rana Issa, will participate in the debate, which will be moderated by dramaturg Njål Mjøs. Entry is free, and a collection will be made benefitting Medical Aid for Palestinians and One Voice Movement equally.

Audience numbers are limited, so if you wish to reserve a seat please send us an email with your name and the number of people to oslointernasjonaleteater@gmail.com.

For more info see http://oslointernasjonaleteater.wordpress.com

Welcome!

- Oystein

(Jack. One of our regulars. He played one of the robots in Hamletmachine. Great guy.)

WARNING: This blog entry contains an overload of clichéd verbal imagery, gross exaggeration, naff pop-cultural references, shameless self admiration and personal opinions. (It is, in other words, not that dissimilar to Cherie Blair’s recent biography.)

Looking at our busy schedule the last year, one might think Imploding Fictions’ projects appear like duped rabbits out of a magicians hat (“What’s with the bright light? How did I get here? Why do my ears hurt?”), pearls on a string (Norwegian expression. Don’t ask.), train carriages out of a tunnel, one following the other, or that they fall into place like dominos or double cherries on a slot machine (Keeeerching!!!). 

(Sammy, doing his impression of a confused rabbit.)

Although all these analogies might carry some truth (particularly the ‘Keerching’ bit),  the actual experience is more like this:

It is like looking at a door.

A large, calm, white door. Impeccably painted, nicely framed and comfortably closed. It is the kind of door that fills you with peace inside, like a door of good karma, a haven of light wood and worry-less tranquility. 

Then.

All of a sudden a massive, kick-arse axe comes hacking its way loudly through the all-too-soft wood in a single smashing blow. Splinters fly everywhere and through the jagged hole a new project rears its ugly head and grins shamelessly in our face exclaiming: 

“He-e-e-ere’s Johnny!!!”

“Keerching!”

In fact, I don’t believe the experience from the inside of the Imploding Fictions vehicle even remotely resembles the viewpoint from the outside. From the corner of the sofa, with a beer and a bowl of popcorn, the Formula 1 racing car is a feast for the eye, a glistening, gleaming beam of light through the dust of the racing track, with a low, humming drone gently caressing your ears emerging from the speakers of the TV-set. From inside the cockpit on the other hand, the scandi-anglo-germanic co-pilots experience a brain mushing, blood curling G-force, battling neck breaking acceleration (Buckle up, cowboy! Let’s ride!) and the noise is like having a 10-inch nail hammered ruthlessly through your eardrums. 

Metaphorically speaking, that is.

Metaphorically speaking, Imploding Fictions is like a Formula 1 car where the pan-european construction team with a combination of luck and utter foolishness built the engine out of the spare parts of a space rocket – but completely forgot to install brakes. 

Or, it is like the baby in Lynch’s Erasorhead (the cutest baby ever to hit the silver screen!); a demanding, devouring, desperate creature with an excess of growth hormone, a living thing which has to be fed and tended to every day, like a mean green mother from outer space and it’s bad… But like any living creature, worthy of of love and respect (This is where the blog goes soppy, look out. Get your handkerchiefs lined up), having become something we crave for, enjoy (why else would we be doing it?) and ultimately depend on. 

It is not something we can really drop or forget, it is not just an object or a concept or simply a legal entity, it is more than that. Something that can perhaps only be expressed through metaphor:

Imploding Fictions is like waking up in the morning, discovering that you have been chained to a rodeo-bull who can’t tell anger management from nuclear warfare just about to be severely stung on his crown jewels by a bee with the wrong sense of humor. 

(Example of bee with the wrong sense of humour.)

It is both our Mr. Hyde and our super hero alter ego. 
Our anagram.
That which you read between the lines.
It is our hidden treasure and the life-size map to find it.
Our fun fair mirror room reflection.
Us without the make up on.

A stack of yellow bricks next to a big, blinking neon sign saying: 

“Grab your sand and bubble-fluid, guys!
It might mix nicely into mortar!” 

You can read more about Imploding Fictions’ various projects on http://www.implodingfictions.com.

- Øystein

On Friday the 22nd February we finally presented our two showcase performances of Norway.Today. We pitched our ideas to Company of Angels last June, and have been working actively on the production since last September, so it was a relief to finally seeing it all come to fruition. This long awaited culmination only marks the end of phase one though, now we are on to phase two which includes planning further development and contacting potential venues and festivals.

Being given the theatre at the Junction not only to perform in, but also to rehearse in for the entire two weeks we were there was a rare luxury, but also absolutely necessary: Our concept relies heavily on the use of video projection and live feed, and we were able to install and work with these features from day one. We received very positive feedback on how the video projection was incorporated into the show, something we would never have achieved had we not had the chance to rehearse with it through the whole process.

There are some people we would like to thank for their dedication to this project, without whom it would not have come together:

John, Theresa and Vanessa at Company of Angels for giving us this great opportunity.

Richard and Lucia at the Junction for their generosity, giving us the chance to work in the Junction theatre space for two weeks.

The Junction staff for their help with this and that whenever we needed it.

Tamas Kirali, our lighting designer who came in right at the very end and lit the show beautifully.

Yui Okado who volunteered to help us out with stage management in the last stages of the process.

Rob Colin Thomas, photographer, for coming up to Cambridge to take photographs of the show.

Our two audiences who gave us positive, critical and constructive feedback.

And last but not least:

Laurence Short, our video and sound designer – this would have been a completely different show without you, we have benefitted greatly from your technical know-how and never-ending ingenuity! We hope this is the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship!

And of course the actors, Neil Connolly and Hannah Boyde – you are our August and Julie, and we look forward to continue the Norway.Today adventure with you!

Where do we go next? We don’t know yet. But one thing is certain: There will be more performances of Norway.Today. It is only a question of where and when…

- Øystein

Imploding Fictions’ production of Norway.Today by Igor Bauersima (translated by Dr. Marlene Norst) was developed with support from Company of Angels and The Junction as part of the Young Angels Theatremakers Award Programme 07/08.

Images: Rob Thomas © 2008 http://www.robthomasphotography.com

Productions may no longer include:

Sand

Bubble Fluid

Real Mobile Telephones

Fake Blood

Cliff diving

Actors

Oystein will learn how to:

Sew

Iron

Speak German

Pip will learn how to:

Speak Norwegian

Get a good friend in the Arts Council

Balance a lawn mower on his chin

Miscellaneous:

We will not use Bable Fish for translations.

We will learn some Italian basics.

We will not piss off rights holders.

We will not piss off producers.

We will not piss off priests, muezzins or rabbis. 

We will be more gracious with our opponents (what d’ya think Sammy?)

We will design a set which is a giant chocolate fountain

We will complete a full length version of our show “Now You See It; Now You Don’t”

Note: Resolutions are made to be broken.

Tickets for Norway.Today can now be booked at the Junction Box Office 01223511511, web: http://www.junction.co.uk . It would be great to see you there! 

Best, Philip Thorne and Øystein Brager – Artistic Directors of Imploding Fictions     

—

My life depends entirely on that knot, tied to that tree. And I am just about to climb straight up a straight cliff face. I must be mad.

—

—

I’m crawling on my belly through a slimy cave.
‘Head first’ the instructor said.
Surely I can’t fit in that hole?

—

—

‘Scrambling means climbing without a rope.’ Oh really? And what happens if I fall?

—

Oh great. Now it’s raining. As if that rock wasn’t slippery enough.

—

—

If I let go of this rope now, Hannah’s in big trouble.
Funny when she fell off, she looked a bit like a jojo up there.

—

Neil – how do you manage to make that look easy?

—

—

It’s a 13 degrees angle. Above me. Where did that come from?

—

‘Put your fingers in that crack.’
Crack?
What crack?

—

My foot is slipping.
I can’t grip onto that little, slanting piece of… nothing, with my bare fingertips?!
I’m gonna fall…
I’m gonna fall…
!!!
…
I’m dangling.
I’m actually hanging off a cliff held up by nothing but a rope.
Swing forth, swing back…
This is quite cool actually!
Ahhh, relax.
Oh.
Hannah’s holding my rope.
Start climbing again…

—

That looks well funny, Lanz, with your bum and one leg hanging off that boulder!
Don’t move, I’ve got to get a picture of that.
What are you saying?
You can’t move anyway?
Nowhere to go?
You’re half the way up the face of a cliff, Lanz, you better find somewhere to move…

—

I’ve got one of my actors dangling off a cliff.
Only supported by a tiny rope.
Because there’s nothing for her to hold onto on the cliff face, which is completely smooth.
And slippery.
And she’s filming.
Some important footage for our show.
She looks slightly worried.
‘Great expression! Film your face!’
She’s holding my camera. My expensive camera.
There is God-knows-how-many feet down.
Certain death if the rope snaps.
Don’t know what I’m most scared of: Loosing Hannah, loosing my camera or not getting the footage we need?

—

Today Imploding Fictions went rock climbing. We took our team from Norway.Today down to Harrison’s Rocks in Groombridge, Tunbridge Wells. Hannah Boyde and Neil Connnolly (the actors), Laurence Short (our film designer) and me, Øystein, was the excited and partially scared team, whilst Sarah Cullen from Rock Climbing Classes (www.rockclimbingclasses.co.uk) was our instructor for the day. Norway.Today is set on the edge of a cliff in Norway, and needing some footage for our video projection plus wanting to let the actors experience what it is like being at the edge of an actual cliff, seeing how that changes their physicality, we decided to do a day of rock climbing. It was also great for teambuilding of course. I now know that I can trust any of these guys with my life (not that I ever doubted – ?), having had them belay me (belay: to fasten or control the rope to which a climber is attached) as I climbed – and fell – off a huge cliff.

I think life should be an adventure. And working with Imploding Fictions is definitely an adventure, for me and hopefully for all the people we work with.
In this case even quite literally:

adventure:
n
1. an exciting or extraordinary event or series of events
2. an undertaking involving uncertainty and risk
3. the participation or willingness to participate in things that involve uncertainty and risk
v
1. to risk something
2. vi to dare to go somewhere new or engage in something dangerous

—

Eeehhh… My knees are badly bruised. My hip’s twisted. I’ve pulled something in my shoulder. My legs hurt. My back aches. I’ve scratched my arms. There are some weird red spots on my thigh that I’ve no idea how got there. And I’m dead exhausted. So…
I feel really great. Bloods rushing, today was beautiful. Let’s do it again!

- Øystein

Imploding Fictions’ production of Norway.Today by Igor Bauersima is part of the Young Angels Theatremakers Awards, run by Company of Angels and the Junction in Cambridge. You can read more about Norway.Today on www.implodingfictions.com. If you are interested in seeing the production you can contact us on improfilm@hotmail.com.

Why is it that we can’t seem to do a show without some piece of elaborate expenditure? In Hamletmachine we set our hearts on having a huge hour glass which had to be especially blown for the occasion. For our current production Norway.Today, we have decided that part of the video-scenography is to be filmed on location at the fjords. There is one section we are especially keen on creating – the bit were the stage direction states: Julie falls off a cliff and dangles over the abyss. Having to organise all this from Sidcup with a shoestring budget, doing all this ourselves was (unfortunately) not an option – so we sought out some random message boards and dropped a hopeful add aimed at Norwegian cliff-divers into the digital ocean… And lo and behold, we got a prompt answer from a bloke who reckoned ‘what you want is a helicopter job’ and offering his services in this field. Since helicopter jobs are still way out of our financial paradigm at this humble stage in our careers, we requested whether a ‘handheld, camcorder-type job’ wouldn’t be equally feasible. To which the (quite reasonable) response was ‘yes – but the falling of the cliff bit might be a bit difficult.’ (We’ve had an actor cycling into a tree and off a peer before – but that’s different. That was Sammy Metcalfe. He will do anything.) Anyway, our man on location is now off on a tentative cliff balancing expedition, and we’ll see what kind of footage we get – we’re excited!

Our exploration of Igor Bauersima’s Norway.Today has been made possible by the Young Angels Theatremakers Awards, initiated by Company of Angels and The Junction in Cambridge.

- Philip

Best wishes,

Øystein and Philip