Christopher Nielsen

Christopher Nielsen (born April 20 1963) is a Norwegian cartoonist, drawer, script writer, playwright and animator.

He is the man behind the cartoon series Two Wasted Wankers, which also led to the TV programs in the series Two Wasted Wankers TV Special. He is also the auteur of the animated film Free Jimmy (premiere 2006, Nielsen was responsible for the script, direction, illustrations and storyboards).

Information

(Objekt ID 23785)
Object type Person
Functions Author, Animator, Dramatist/Playwright, Visual artist
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Christopher Nielsen's theatre debut took place in 2008, with the script for The National Theatre's Worthless Men, based on his brother Joachim "Jokke" Nielsen's music and lyrics. The production was first performed at The Torshov Theatre, then transferred to The National Theatre's main stage as it became a huge audience success.

Christopher Nielsen won The Hedda Award 2008 in the category of debut of the year.

The Hedda Jury reasoned as follows:

"Only in the world of theatre can this year's winner be said to be a newcomer. In at least two other areas he is an experienced artist enjoying great acclaim.

This spring he made his debut with a theatre text writing a way out of the traditional theatre mindset, something as rare as an anti-drama text. There are situations, but no action and hardly any progress. In return there is a description of an environment so realistic it almost becomes mythical, and strong, desperate characters described without sentimentality, but also without superficial irony.

The debut of the year award goes to Christopher Nielsen for the text of Worthless Men at The National Theatre/The Torshov Theatre the spring of 2007."

Christopher Nielsen also won The Ibsen Prize AKA The Norwegian Ibsen Award in 2009 for Worthless Men.

The jury gave the following reason:

"Christopher Nielsen is nominated for the play Worthless Men. The play opened at The Torshov Theatre March 5 2008. In his play Worthless Men Christopher Nielsen describes the outcasts of society with dark comedy and great concern. In a socially involved cabaret tradition that in Norway may be traced back to Jens Bjørneboe’s Happy Birthday, Christopher Nielsen provides a nice section showing four persons on the bottom of the social latter. This way he fills out the already known songs the production has been built around. The songs were written by his brother, the rock musician Joachim Nielsen, who lived from 1964 to 2000."

More recently, Christopher Nielsen has written the plays Hustyrannen* (The House Tyrant) (2010) and Entropy – The Staphylococcus Trilogy II (2012), both with world premieres at The National Theatre.

Christopher Nielsen was nominated for The Norwegian Ibsen Award AKA The Ibsen Prize 2013 for Entropy

The jury gave the following reason:

"In Christopher Nielsen's Entropy we meet three drug addicts and one therapist in a treatment room. The process the four plan to go through cracks when a fourth drug addict is included in the group. In a luscious, surplus-filled and energetic language the playwright pokes fun with the well-meaning therapist society, and creates a number of absurd situations illuminating the chaos/entropy of human life. Nielsen aims to treat large themes in an unpretentious manner, without removing the danger. This way his dramas make their mark as a contribution to public debate and thus they also represent a suggestion for contemporary political theatre anno 2012. That is a rare thing."

Sources:

Sceneweb on The Norwegian Ibsen Award AKA The Ibsen Prize, http://www.sceneweb.no/en/award/11725/The_Norwegian_Ibsen_Award_AKA_The_Ibsen_Prize

Ibsen Awards, www.ibsenawards.com, 26.11.2013, http://www.ibsenawards.com/ia/vinnere/christopher-nielsen/

Store Norske Leksikon

The National Theatre

The Hedda Award

*Not yet translated into English. The title within parentheses is the Norwegian title's literal meaning.

Involved in productions (6)
Title Premiere Role
Worthless Men (The National TheatreThe Torshov Theatre) May 11, 2018 Stage design, Playwright
Worthless Men (The National TheatreThe Torshov Theatre) June 16, 2015 Stage design, Playwright
Worthless Men (The National TheatreThe Torshov Theatre) January 9, 2014 Stage design, Playwright
Holocaustmusikalen - Stafylokokktrilogien III (The National TheatreThe Torshov Theatre) February 8, 2013 Stage design, Playwright
Entropy (The National Theatre) January 21, 2012 Playwright
Hustyrannen* (The House Tyrant) (The National Theatre) January 19, 2010 Playwright
Worthless Men (The National TheatreThe Torshov Theatre) April 17, 2009 Stage design, Playwright
Worthless Men (The National TheatreThe Torshov Theatre) March 5, 2008 Stage design, Playwright
For lukkede dører (Oslo Lille Teater) August 8, 1988 Technical director
Magdalene (Carl Johan Theatret (Tivoli)) Navember 8, 1893 Actor (Petersen, betjent i opdagelsespolitiet)
Artworks (4)
Title Publiseringsdato Role
Hustyrannen 2010, Script, Drama – Author
Holocaustmusikalen 2012, Script – Author
Entropy 2011, Script – Author
Worthless Men 2008, Script – Author