The Ballad of Bohm and Bøhmer

The family performance The Ballad of Bohm and Bøhmer (2005) by Lars Vik was a collaboration production by Grenland Friteater and Det Åpne Teater (The Open Theatre): A story about two men, a growing friendship, their stories, anxiety, joy, freedom and friendship.

The shabby friends Bohm and Bøhmer awake to a new day without ties or a fixed address. How will they spend the day? Despite different experiences, they find common ground in play and storytelling. 

Information

(Objekt ID 1604)
Object type Production
Premiere January 22, 2005
Produced by Grenland Friteater
In collaboration with The Open Theatre (Det Åpne Teater)
Based on The Ballad of Bohm and Bøhmer by Lars Vik
Audience Families, Children (from 8)
Audience size 17672
Number of events 201
Language Norwegian
Keywords Theatre, Storytelling theatre, Fairytale, Performance for children
Running period January 22, 2005  —  February 7, 2009
Duration 45 min.
Website Grenland Friteater

Requirements to venue

Minimum stage width 7m
Maximum stage width 7m
Minimum stage depth 7m
Maximum stage depth 7m
Minimum stage height 3m
Blackout Yes
Rigging time 90 minutes
Downrigging time 60 minutes
Audience 100
Other Amphi theatre is preferred.
More

The Ballad of Bohm and Bøhmer was a story about Bohm and Bøhmer.

Bohm and Bøhmer are vagrants, two bedraggled, but charming guys with a past within the brewery business. The brewery was sold and the production was moved elsewhere. Now, Bohm and Bøhmer are without jobs. For the time being, they don’t wear ties and they have no fixed addresses, but they both have an urge to tell stories, while wondering about the eternal question; "what is the meaning of life?". The two of them have embarked on a kind of eternal wandering, passing the time telling, or rather making up stories. It is as if they use the stories as an attempt to understand or accept their own destinies. Their stories are based on old Roman fairy tales, classical fables and riddles, as well as stories they make up there and then.

The energetic Bøhmer is content with the way things are, relieved he doesn't have the many duties and temptations of the bourgeoisie. Bohm, more prone to anxiety, misses the occasional good meal, a beer once in a while and the prospects of payday.

As The Ballad of Bohm and Bøhmer began, the two wake up amongst empty beer cases, soon ready to fill their day with stories, as such is their habit.

Sources:

Grenland Friteater, grenlandfriteater.com, 02.08.2010, http://www.grenlandfriteater.com/show_details.asp?ID=1011

Porsgrunn International Theatre Festival, pit.no, 02.08.2010, http://2005.pit.no/vis_tgruppe.asp?ProgType=1&gruppe=Det%20%C5pne%20Teater%20&%20Grenland%20Friteater

Contributors (10)
Name Role
Lars Vik – Playwright
Lars Vik – Direction
Franzisca Aarflot – Direction
Katharina Barbosa Blad – Costume design
Malin Bratlie – Actor
Joakim Dan Jørgensen – Actor
Vibeke Lie – Actor
Helge Sveen – Actor
Mette Kristensen – Producer
Jonas Borgan Olsen (from 2009 to 2011) – Producer
Press coverage

"An unpretentious, simplistic, but warm story about loneliness and fear, community and comfort." Dagbladet.