Freyja
From the production From Stolen Thunder (1978), The Norwegian Touring Theatre
Freyja was one of the main puppets in The Norwegian Touring Theatre's production Stolen Thunder, based on a play by Tor Åge Bringsværd. The play was based on the poem Trymskvida from The Elder Edda, and was written on commission from The Norwegian Touring Theatre. The stage designer was Alexandru Botez. The puppet design and creation of puppets were by Mona Wiig, who also directed the production. The world premiere took place at Dale in Sandnes April 16, 1978. The target group was school children.
Information
(Objekt ID 96990)| Object type | Puppet |
| Production date | April 16, 1978 |
| Category | Rod puppet |
| Themes | Children, Rog puppet |
| Size | Approximately 90 centimetres tall |
| License | The Norwegian Touring Theatre. The photo belongs to Mona Wiig's collection. Copyright. |
Teaterfigur
Teaterfigurer, bedre kjent som teaterdukker, har spilt på norske scener i generasjoner, til stor glede for publikum i alle aldersgrupper.
Tor Åge Bringsværd wrote the following, among other things, in the playbill:
"About Freyja, one must say that she was one of the goddesses of love. She was beautiful and good, and there were likely many who wanted her for wife. She was often very sad, poor thing, because her husband had left her. Whenever she thought of him, she cried, and her tears were made from gold."
The role of Freyja was played by Marianne Edvardsen.
Sceneweb refers to the other puppets registered from this production. These are Thor, Little Thor and Gufse and Skrotolf (the latter two are registered together).
SOURCES:
Mona Wiig's private archive
Playbill from the production
Review in Aftenposten, written by Svein Johs. Ottesen and published April 17, 1978
Donated by: The Norwegian Touring Theatre. Mona Wiig.
Transported 31.01.2020
The head of Freyja was cut from Styrofoam and fortified with several layers of cotton gauze and wood glue, after which it was polished, pasted and painted with a last finish in a light colour. The head had an oval form. The pupils were black half-spheres in wood, glued to the face with markings around them. The hair was crocheted, with big loops, and from golden threads, and it reached to the puppet's shoulders.
Freyja's dress was made from deep red silk velvet. It was slanted from the shoulders and down. The sleeves of the dress were wide. Freyja's hands were cut from thick leather, and to each of the hands, piano string was fastened, so that they could be moved. Freyja wore a large necklace from brass fastened to her chest.
A round rod in wood was fastened to Freyja's head. It was also the puppet's neck, and used by the puppeteer for steering. The shoulder area was made from wood, with a hole in the middle, through which the round rod was put. The head and the shoulders could be moved in both directions, and they could also be moved independently of one another. Freyja's arms were fastened to the shoulder area, and the hands were cut from leather. To each hand, piano string was fastened, so that they could be moved. The strings could also be used to stabilise the body of the puppet.
Svein Johs. Ottesen in Aftenposten wrote the following, among other things, in his review of Stolen Thunder, published April 17, 1978:
"The puppeteers Knut Alfsen, Marianne Edvardsen, Stein Grønli, Christine Stoesen and Anne Stray worked hard and gave a captivating performance. Not least the latter two were lively, as troll girls. Bringsværd has known how to use the dramatic material excellently."
| Alexandru Botez (person) | – Stage designer |
| Mona Wiig (person) | – Designer, Puppet Maker |
| The Norwegian Touring Theatre (Riksteatret) (organization) | – Creator |
| Stolen Thunder (production) | – Rod puppet |