The Memoirs of a Breadman Part 1: Akapulco

The Memoirs of a Breadman Part 1: Akapulco (SIC) is a mono drama/visual audio play by Johan Harstad. The text consists of 11 diary entries written in English, penned by a person called The Breadman (Barker), plus fragments, similar to diary entries, recited by a nameless character who clearly has knowledge of the notes of the breadman. The play is characterised by absurd elements and can also be said to be related to texts by Kafka.

Action: A man arrives in the town called Akapulco in hope of finding peace and quiet. In a petrol station bathroom along the road he has found a bundle of diary entries written by a person he refers to as The Breadman, who has clearly suffered a terrible fate in Akapulco. The main character tries his best to understand the strange notes, while searching for a way out of town. This turns out to be difficult, and he is forced to realise that there are connections between the experiences of The Breadman, the fat pension hostess Mrs. Martinez and the local baker, whom the citizens of the town have abnormal respect for.

Akapulco is the first part of a trilogy. The others are The Memoirs of a Breadman part 2: Ellis Iland (SIC) and The Memoirs of a Breadman part 3: Mattrhorn. It is an expansive work which has grown through several years of writing, workshops and test performances/previews.

The Memoirs of a Breadman was nominated for The Norwegian Ibsen Award AKA The Ibsen Prize 2012.

Sources:

Wikipedia, wikipedia.org, 30.06.2011, http://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brødmannens_memoarer_del_1:_Akapulco

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