The Hedda Award 2010

Victoria Meirik for the direction of Antigone by Sophocles, Trøndelag Theatre, the old stage:

"Director Victoria Meirik was born in Norway, but has lived in Kuwait, Portugal, France and The Netherlands. She studied drama at The Writing Academy of Hordaland, theatre theory at the University of Oslo and was educated as a drama instructor at the Amsterdam School of the Arts. After graduating she worked as a director in Holland, where she staged classic dramas by Chekhov, Sophocles, Brecht and Ibsen as well as contemporary dramatists such as Jon Fosse, Marius von Mayenburg and Sarah Kane.

In 2004 she directed her own play To the dogs in Amsterdam. She made her Norwegian debut with a strong interpretation of Chekhov's Ivanov at Hålogaland Theatre the spring season of 2004. Since then she has directed Shakespeare's Richard III, War by Lars Norén and Chekhov's Uncle Vanya at Rogaland Theatre. In 2006 she was nominated to the Hedda Award for her direction of Blackbird at The National Theatre. She is now employed as house director at The National Theatre. The spring season of 2010 she directed Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet."

Kjetil Bang-Hansen for the direction of John Gabriel Borkman by Henrik Ibsen, Rogaland Theatre, the main stage:

"Kjetil Bang-Hansen was born in 1940. He made his debut as an actor in 1959, acting in the movie Owls in the March and in the role of Lars in the TV production of A Sunday Off by Leck Fischer. In 1962 and 1963 he was employed as an actor and a dancer at Edderkoppen Theatre and from 1963 to 1966 he worked for Oslo Nye Teater (Oslo New Theatre). His directorial debut he made at Trøndelag Theatre with Two on the Seesaw in 1967. Since then he has been working for most Norwegian theatres and in USA, France, Denmark and Poland.

He was dean of The National Academy of Theatre, Oslo from 1973 to 1976 and has been executive director of Rogaland Theatre (1976-1982), The National Venue of Theatre in Bergen (1982-1986), The National Theatre (1986-1988) and Oslo Nye Teater (Oslo New Theatre, 1996-2001). He was rewarded The Freedom of Expression Prize from Fritt Ord in 1983 and The Norwegian Critics' Award in 2000. He was knighted by the Order of St. Olav in 2002. He has been in charge of so many splendid, remarkably different productions it is simply not possible to name a selection."

Sigrid Strøm Reibo for the direction of Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett, Hålogaland Theatre, the eastern stage:

"Sigrid Strøm Reibo was born in Tromsø in 1982. She started her directorial education in Lithuania, where she took a minor degree in stage direction at The International Amateur Directors' Course at The University of Klaipeda. Then she got a bachelor's degree in acting at GITIS Scandinavia in Aarhus. In 2006 she started studying for her master's degree in stage direction at GITIS Moscow.

During her stay in Russia she has directed several projects besides participating as an actress in other productions. In 2009 she directed Kipling's The Cat That Walked by Himself, a production Russian theatre critics announced was the best family production of Moscow last year. Waiting for Godot at Hålogaland Theatre is her directorial debut in Norway."  

Mattis Herman Nyquist for the role of Ask Burlefot in The Song of the Red Ruby by Agnar Mykle, adapted for the theatre by Morten Borgersen, The Norwegian Touring Theatre (Riksteatret):

"Mattis Herman Nyquist was born in 1982. He studied at The Non Degree Granting College of Romerike and Westerdals School of Communication before he was accepted at The National Academy of Theatre, Oslo in 2005.

He graduated in 2008 and got his first professional role in Tyra Tønnesen's production of Kafka's The Castle the autumn of 2008. At The Norwegian Theatre he also played Mads in Sour Gravel by Erlend Sandem and Viktor in Moira Buffini's Dying for it.

The autumn of 2009 he got his first role at The National Theatre in Plasticine by Vasilly Sigarev.

Anders Mordal for the role of Thomas Stockman in An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen, Trøndelag Theatre, The Main Stage:

"Anders Mordal was born in 1963. He is educated at The National Academy of Theatre, Oslo (1988-91) and he started his career at The National Venue of Theatre in Bergen where he played the title role of Jeppe of the Hill in 1996. In 1997 he was hired by The National Theatre of Norway, where he has interpreted a variety of roles. Among others, he has played Bartley in Martin McDonagh's The Cripple of Inishmaan, David in Cecilie Løveid's Austria, Chief of Police Brown in The Threepenny Opera and the baker boy in The Animals in the Hunchback Woods.

He has taken part in a number of movies. Actually he started his movie career at the age of 15, in an adaptation of Tarjei Vesaas’ novel Spring Night. He directed the summer show Simon and Stig pass revue in 2008 and he has been hosting TV shows for the Norwegian TV channel TV2."

Svein Harry Schöttker Hauge for the title role in John Gabriel Borkman by Henrik Ibsen, Rogaland Theatre, the Main Stage:

"Svein Harry Schöttker Hauge was born in 1966. He graduated from The National Academy of Theatre, Oslo in 1992 and worked at Ibsen Theatre before he was hired by Rogaland Theatre in 1994. He debuted in Stavanger in the role of The Mayor in Ibsen's Brand (1994). He has performed in classic dramatic roles, among them Nils Krogstad in A Doll's House (1995), the title role of Holberg's Erasmus Montanus (1997), Chekov's Uncle Vanya (2001) and Jean in Miss Julie by Strindberg. But he has also interpreted contemporary dramatists such as Harold Pinter (Betrayal) and Marius von Mayenburg (Eyesight).

During the spring of 2008 he was in charge of the artistic management, direction and playwriting of the mystery play Above All for the festival Passion08 and he interpreted the role of The Shadow in Jon Fosse's These Eyes, a major event of Stavanger's stint as European Capital of Culture in 2008. He has acted in a number of movies.

Ipek D. Mehlum for the title role in Pinocchio by Klaus Hagerup, freely based on Carlo Collodi's novel, Teater Manu:

"Ipek D. Mehlum was born in 1974. Her first language was Turkish sign language. She was educated at the theatre school Nordic Black Express in Oslo (1999-2001) and has taken part in 14 of Manu Teater’s productions, where she has interpreted a wide spectrum of roles.

A selection: Penelope in The Odyssey, the Pupil in Ionesco's The Lesson, Anitra in Peer Gynt and the title role in Pinocchio. She has acted in short films and TV-productions. When Franzisca Aarflot staged David Greig's Yellow Moon at Det Åpne Teater, Ipek D. Mehlum played the role of Silent Leila. She has instructed workshops within theatre, TV and yoga and has led a theatre project in Uganda."

Trine Wiggen for the title role in Valerie Solanas skal bli president i Amerika* (Valerie Jean Solanas is going to be the President of America) by Sara Stridsberg, The National Theatre of Norway, The Torshov Theatre:

"Trine Wiggen (born 1968) studied at the Ballet Academy in Gothenburg (1988-1989). She then took a minor degree in theatre arts before she started at The National Academy of Theatre, Oslo in 1994. She was employed at Den Nationale Scene and at Oslo Nye Teater before she came to The National Theatre of Norway in 1998. Among other roles she has interpreted Fanny Wilton in Sebastian Hartmann's version of John Gabriel Borkman and Barbro in his Growth of the Soil. She played the title role in Jon Fosse's free translation of Racine's Phèdre at the Swedish Riksteatern.

For her interpretation of Una in Blackbird she was nominated for the Hedda Award and she was awarded the Gabler Prize from the newspaper Morgenbladet. She has acted in a number of movies, including An Enemy of the People, Varg Veum - Bitter Flowers, Kissed by Winter and The Man Who Loved Yngve."

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

Nina Ellen Ødegård for the role of Woman 1 in We Who Are Hundred by Jonas Hassen Khemeri, Rogaland Theatre/The Intimate Stage:

"Nina Ellen Ødegård (born 1979) had already had a long career at The Children and Youth Theatre at The Rogaland Theatre when she was accepted at The National Academy of Theatre, Oslo in Oslo in 1999. After graduating she returned to Rogaland Theatre the autumn of 2002. Her first assignment at the theatre was the role of Chris in Dancing at Lughnasa. The spring of 2004 she played Jenny in the popular local comedy of Gudlabarnet te na mor* (Mother's Golden Child), then The Sister in the worldwide premiere of Jon Fosse's The Dead Dogs.

In 2005 she won the Hedda Award for her interpretation of Josie in Eugene O'Neill's A Moon for the Misbegotten. Since then she has played, among other roles, Nicholas' sister Kate in Nicholas Nickleby, Margarita in The Master and Margarita, the title role in Miss Julie and Ariel in The Tempest, all of the above in Stavanger. At Oslo Nye Teater (Oslo New Theatre) she has interpreted the roles of Bess in Breaking the Waves, Nora in A Doll's House and the daughter Eva in Ingmar Bergman's Autumn Sonata. She has acted in the movies Play and All for Egil.

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

Kurt Racks His Brain by Erlend Loe, directed by Anne-Marit Sæther, Oslo Nye Teater (Oslo New Theatre):

«Kurt Racks His Head is smart theatre for children, dealing with the fear of the unknown and how we approach people different than ourselves. Besides it’s funny.» Karen Frøsland Nystøyl, NRK

«… all over quality – great energy». Dagbladet

Before the Bell by Liv Heløe, directed by Cecilie Mosli, Brageteatret (The Brage Theatre):

«The story of Before the Bell is simple, but it is told with a depth and a sincerity making it captivating». Per Christian Selmer-Anderssen Drammens Tidende

«It was a very good play. They were all good at living into their roles. It was a fun play». Anonymous member of the audience, The blog of Brageteatret

Pinocchio by Klaus Hagerup based on Carlo Collodi, directed by Mira Zuckermann, Teater Manu:

«With a performance such as this, hardly standing back for anything, the divide between theatre for the deaf and regular theatre is almost erased. Admittedly we notice the sign language (….) But when everything works as well as it does here, these extraordinary elements are not perceived as disturbing». Jan Landro in Bergens Tidende

«Teater Manu opened Pinocchio in Oslo October 29. It was a great success. This is a performance we recommend all children between the age of 3 and 100 years». Helge Herland, The Norwegian Association of the Deaf

Nicolai Cleve Broch for the role of the Marquis of Posa in Don Carlos by Schiller, directed by Runar Hodne, The Norwegian Theatre, the main stage:

"Nicolai Cleve Broch was born in 1975. He attended The National Academy of Theatre, Oslo in Oslo from 1996 to 1999 whereupon he started his professional acting career at Oslo Nye Teater (Oslo New Theatre). He left for The Norwegian Theatre where he played Konstantin in Chekhov's The Seagull (2003), the title role in Frank by Maria Tryti Vennerød and Hippolytus in Phaedra's Love by Sarah Kane.

The autumn of 2005 he began working at The National Theatre, where he played Tommy in Pippi Longstocking (2005), the Groom in García Lorca's Blood Wedding (2006), the Instructor of Pirandello's Six Characters in Search of an Author (2007) and the Poet in August Strindberg's A Dream Play at The Torshov Theatre.

The newspaper Dagbladet named him The Theatre Talent of the Year in 2001. He has also acted in several movies, among them Buddy (2003) and Uno (2004)."

Ola G. Furuseth for the role of the Guard in Antigone by Sophocles, directed by Victoria Meirik, Trøndelag Theatre, the old stage:

"Ola G. Furuseth was born in 1975. He attended the The Non-Degree Granting College of Romerikeand took a minor degree in theatre arts before he started the Arts Educational Schools in London in 1999. He graduated in 2002 and the same year he debuted at Trøndelag Theatre as Theo Sarapo in Pam Gems' Piaf. At the same theatre, he has acted in Terrorism by the Presnyakov Brothers and in 24 Unsuccessful Norwegians by Jesper Halle.

He took part in the musical version of Falkberget's An-Magritt and played Cliff Bradshaw in Cabaret. In 2007 he visited Teatret Vårt (Our Theatre) in the title role of Ambjørnsen's Elling: Love Me Tomorrow, a role for which he was nominated to the Hedda Award.

Since then his roles at Trøndelag Theatre include the Man in Jo Strømgren's En gorilla søker hjem* (A Gorilla Seeks Home), George Tesman in Hedda Gabler and Hjalmar Ekdal in The Wild Duck. His last role at the theatre was the part of Ola in Jo Strømgren's The Pseudonym during the spring season of 2010."

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

Christian Skolmen for the roles of Bjørge in Hustyrannen* (The House Tyrant) by Christopher Nielsen, directed by Anders T. Andersen at the National Theatre and Richard Lionheart in Desert Storms by Thorvald Steen and Tariq Ali, directed by Stein Winge, House of Literature:

"Christian Skolmen (born 1970) graduated The National Academy of Theatre, Oslo in Oslo in 1995. The same year he debuted at The National Theatre of Norway in Strindberg's The Father. Since then he has been employed by the same theatre. In 1997 he was assigned to The Torshov Theatre where his assignments included Jan Guillou's monologue Evil.

Among his most important assignments at The National Theatre are Haakon Haakonson in Ibsen's The Pretenders (1996), Porthos in The Three Musketeers (2001), Orsino in Twelfth Night (2002), Jonatan in The Brothers Lionheart (2002) and Dionysus in The Baccae (2004).

In 2000 he visited Trøndelag Theatre where he played the title role in Catrine Telle's production of Peer Gynt. He played Bernard in Boeing-Boeing directed by Per Olav Sørensen and has partaken in the productions of Kruttårnet, Stavern. Beyond this, he has acted in a number of movies such as Buddy, Monsterthursday and Night of the Wolf, plus the TV series Sejer and Codename Hunter."

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

Marte Engebrigtsen for the role of Mrs. Bjørge in Hustyrannen* (The House Tyrant) by Christopher Nielsen, The National Theatre, the Amphi Stage:

"Marte Engebrigtsen was born in 1979. She graduated from The National Academy of Theatre, Oslo in Oslo in 2007. The autumn of 2007 she made her debut at The National Theatre of Norway playing the princes of Tower in Elfriede Jelinek's Ulrike Maria Stuart. The same fall she played Sonja in Journey to the Christmas Star.

The spring of 2008 she was assigned to The Torshov Theatre, where she played Annie in Jokke's Worthless Men and Colomba in Ben Johnson's Volpone. The autumn season of 2008 she had the roles of the pantry mouse and the baker boy in The Animals in the Hunchback Woods.

The spring of 2009 she acted in The Brothers Karamazov at the main stage and during summer she played Ophelia in Thesbi Theatre and Ibsen Theatre’s open-air performance of Hamlet."

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

Valborg Frøysnes for the role of Mariedl in Holy Mothers by Werner Schwab, directed by Frode Rasmussen, Teatret Vårt (Our Theatre):

"Valborg Frøysnes was born in 1977. She studied acting at Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama in England. Post graduation she has worked as an actress and drama teacher in London. In Norway she has been employed by Teatret Vårt (Our Theatre).

She is a versatile actress and has interpreted a number of very different roles, from Bjørnar Teigen's youth drama The Face on Mars to Bjørnson's Sigurd the Bad and Beyond Human Power - II, both directed by the German Uwe Cramer. She acted in Heleen Verburg's Hibernation, a production awarded the Hedda Award for best production for children and youth in 2008.

Further, Valborg Frøysnes has partaken in Det regner aske* (Ashes are raining) by Bjørnar Teigen. This year she acted in the theatre’s children’s production Taremareby* (The City of Taremare)."

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

Marianne Krogh for the role of Barbara in August: Osage County, directed by Svein Sturla Hungnes, The Norwegian Theatre, the main stage:

"Marianne Krogh was born in 1956. She was a student at The Norwegian Theatre from 1975 to 1978. In 1977 she was hired steady as an actress by the theatre and she was employed there until 1983. From 1983 to 1987 she was employed by Norwegian Broadcasting's drama division and when she ended her employment there, she spent two years as a member of the independent theatre group Lilith.

In 1988 she returned to The Norwegian Theatre and she has worked there since. Worth mentioning among her many roles are Mrs. Berg in Krane's Café (1978), Katja in Turgenev's A Month in the Country, Anna in Lars Norén’s The Human Circle 3:1, Helene in Tales from the Vienna Wood and Lilly in Frode Grytten's Bikubesong* (Song of the Beehives).

For her efforts in the TV adaption of Marsha Norman's Getting Out, directed by Carl Jørgen Kiønig, she was granted the Amanda Award in 1987."

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

Milja Salovaara for the stage design for An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen, directed by Carl Jørgen Kiønig, Trøndelag Theatre, the main stage:

"Milja Salovaara is Finnish, but she got her stage design education from Accademia di Belli Arti in Venice and she has been responsible for the stage design and/or costumes for around 80 productions in Finland, Sweden and Norway. To mention a few: Barrabas by Pär Lagerqvist at The Sirius Theatre in Finland (1995), No Exit by Jean-Paul Sartre at The Swedish Theatre in Helsinki, also in 1995, for Mother and Child by Jon Fosse at The Swedish Theatre in Helsinki in 2001 and for A Doll's House at The Tampere Theatre in 2002.

She was in charge of the stage design for Oleanna by David Mamet at Teatret Vårt (Our Theatre) in 2001 and for Richard III the same place in 2001, and still in Molde, in a co-operation between Teatret Vårt and The Norwegian Theatre, The Ice Castle in 2004. She has been responsible for costumes and stage design at Rogaland Theatre, Trøndelag Theatre and The Norwegian Touring Theatre. She is one of the most sought-for stage designers in Norway. She has completed several assignments for TV and movies and has also worked as a theatre photographer." 

Géraldine Allier for the stage design for The Second Surprise of Love by Pierre de Marivaux, directed by Jacques Lassalle, The Norwegian Theatre, stage 2:

"Géraldine Allier was educated at l'Ecole Nationale supérieure des arts appliqués et des métiers d’art in Paris. She started her career as an illustrator in the world of publishing and PR. Her passion for stage arts awoke when she met the renowned stage designer Louis Bérut, who died in 1994. For some years they cooperated before she began to create her own set design and costumes.

She drew attention for her set design and costumes for director Marc Liebens' Cassandre, Déjanire and Jocaste at Théâtre de la Monnaie in Bruxelles. She also designed the stage sets and costumes for Shakespeare's The Tempest directed by Daniel Mesguich. On earlier occasions she has also cooperated with Jacques Lassalle."

Kari Gravklev for the scenography of Don Carlos by Schiller, directed by Runar Hodne, The Norwegian Theatre, the main stage:

"Kari Gravklev started her career at Hålogaland Theatre where she was steadily employed from 1973 to 1979. She had not been in Tromsø for long before other theatre instructors started requesting her. Today she is one of the most renowned, most acclaimed and most demanded stage designers in Norway. She has had assignments at more or less all Norwegian institutional theatres, but also for independent theatre groups such as The Theatre of Cruelty and for movies and TV, not to speak of the opening ceremony at the Lillehammer Olympics.

In 2003 she was rewarded the Hedda Award for best visual design for her stage design of Thunderstruck or The Song of the Say-Sayer at The Norwegian Theatre. During the years to follow she has been nominated for her stage design for The Notebook by Agota Kristof (The Norwegian Theatre, the rehearsal stage) and I am the wind by Jon Fosse (The National Theatre 2008).

Fanny and Alexander by Ingmar Bergman, directed by Kjetil Bang-Hansen, The National Theatre, the main stage:

"The theatre's poetry and strong ability to spellbind is also a beautiful quality of this performance."

Margareta Sörenson, Expressen

"Fanny and Alexander has become a great theatre narrative (...) A victory for the theatre."

Andreas Wiese, Dagbladet

An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen, directed by Carl Jørgen Kiønig, Trøndelag Theatre, the main stage:

"In Carl Jørgen Kiønig's sharply cut direction, (An Enemy of the People) seems like a modern fable. Sinister and contemporary, scarily poignant, well told - the production has everything."

Yngve Kvistad, VG

"Ibsen is swinging at TT. An Enemy of the People shines like a pearl."

Lars Erik Skjærseth, NRK

The Wild Duck – Part 2 Director's cut, direction, scenography and costumes: Vegard Vinge and Ida Müller, Black Box Theatre:

"One single sentence from Ibsen's text can last a whole hour in the universe of Vinge/Müller. The layers of signs are so many and one is allowed the time to follow them to an end. Only a few take Ibsen this seriously."

Anette Pettersen, Dagsavisen

"It is as if the whole conflict material of Ibsen has resurrected, not just in the way of contemporary tragedy, but as an image of the eternal renewal of generational and religious conflicts between people."

Elin Høyland, Morgenbladet

We Who Are Hundred by Jonas Hassen Kehmir, directed by Nina Wester, Rogaland Theatre:

"An intoxicating play."

Graded worthy of six pips of the dice in Rogalands Avis

"Some of the sequences are priceless."

Kjetil Vold, Stavanger Aftenblad

Desert storms by Thorvald Steen and Tariq Ali, directed by Stein Winge, The House of Literature:

"Ali and Steen have made a small masterpiece of a drama... For one, Desert Storms holds pure literary qualities. Here are deep-founded existential observations for our age, generous humour, literary pearls and a dramaturgic grip creating a drive."

Dag Herbjørnsrud, Ny Tid

"The play highlights the history behind a conflict no one yet see a speedy solution to. It is a historical document and a strong current statement of opinion - an important contribution against the lack of historical awareness."

Tone Bratteli, Bistandsaktuelt

Kjersti Fjeldstad for her achievement as voice actress in Pinocchio by Klaus Hagerup, freely based on Carlo Callodi, Teater Manu

"Kjersti Fjeldstad was born in 1952. She was educated at The University of Music, Theatre and Visual Arts in Salzburg, Austria (1971-75). She has been an active actress since 1975 and has many years of experience from independent groups and as a solo artist in revue, variety and comedy. She has partaken in TV and movies.

Since 2001 she has been a voice actress in most of Teater Manu's production, and she is the impressive link allowing Teater Manu’s productions to function equally well for all the members of the audience. 'Kjersti Fjeldstad … is sitting at (the) front of the stage and (gives) voice to all characters in an impressive manner', Jan Landro in Bergens Tidende wrote about Pinocchio.

About her achievements in Nattgjester* (Night Guests) Ingegärd Waaranperä in Dagens Nyheter wrote: 'Considering I am a hearing person I am duly impressed by Kjersti Fjeldstad… . She, the only speaking member of the ensemble, doesn’t just interpret the lines delivered in sign language; she also creates voices for each and every actor and gives them subtle, distinguished features of their own'."

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

Ulrike Quade for puppetry and puppet design for The Writer, a cooperation between Ulrike Quade, NF and Jo Strømgren Kompani:

Ulrike Quade has a master's degree from Utrecht School of the Arts and is one of the foremost visual theatre artists of the Netherlands. She has created her own expression by fusing puppetry, dance, physical theatre and stage design.

She began by cooperating with Duda Paiva, but created her own first project Me too - a sideshow (about Siamese twins) in 2006. In 2007 Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Arts invited her to make the first version of The Wall, performed in Figurentheater Festival in Germany and in Biennale Internationale des Arts de la Marionnette in Paris in 2009.

Last year she cooperated with Jo Strømgren Kompani and Nordland Visual Theatre in The Writer, a fantasy play about Knut Hamsun. The production won the audience award at the festival BITEF in Belgrade last year. At least in Norway nobody had experienced puppetry similar to Ulrike Quade's."

Boya Bøckman for the stage image of De Utvalgte's Drømmen* (The Dream), Black Box Theatre:

"The video artist Boya Bøckman is a member of the independent theatre group De Utvalgte (meaning The Chosen Ones), founded in 1993. On its webpage the group writes that it works with contemporary theatre in which it uses self-produced effects such as video, documentary material, text and music. De Utvalgte seeks new expressions, but also new content, for performing arts.

Whether Boya Bøckman emphasises photography, as he did in Jon Fosse's These Eyes, or video projections, as in Bang Bang Club, Jimmy Young or Drømmen* (The Dream), he doesn't just deepen the stage situations. He also suddenly gives them new and challenging content and a particular poetic dimension.

He does not work just for De Utvalgte, but also for the group Fabula Rasa, and he was in charge of the video installations in The National Theatre's production of Ulrike Maria Stuart by Elfriede Jelinek in 2007."

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

Ida Müller and Vegard Vinge for their interpretation of The Wild Duck - Part 2 Director's Cut, freely based on Henrik Ibsen's play, Black Box Theatre:

"Ida Müller has a diploma in stage design from Berlin. She has showcased her work in Oslo and Berlin along with working as assistant at theatre and opera stages in Wiesbaden, Dresden, Los Angeles, Warszawa, Berlin, Oslo and Hamburg.

Vegard Vinge has also worked with opera as directorial assistant, in Norway and in Germany. Their first Ibsen interpretation was A Doll's House (2006). The next year they continued by interpreting Ghosts. The Wild Duck had its worldwide premiere during The Bergen International Festival in 2009. Immediately it was considered the theatrical event of the season, and one year later it still is.

Their personal and very innovative interpretation and theatrical language engage, they can both excite and annoy, but they don't leave any member of the audience indifferent. Vinge/Müller's The Wild Duck has drawn international attention of a kind that is unusual for Norwegian productions."

SoFT for its priority of Norwegian contemporary drama with a regional perspective:

"Even before Mette Brantzæg commenced in the position of executive director in 2000, she directed a production in New Norwegain, with a local perspective; Det kom ein engel* (An Angel Came) (1998), a play by Vidar Sandem based on the Jølster painter Nikolai Astrup. In her four years as executive director she emphasised cultivating new drama in New Norwegian, with connections to the region. Her successor Terje Lyngstad has brought her vision forward.

There is hardly another theatre in Norway as determinedly making not just new contemporary drama in New Norwegian a priority, but also emphasising drama with a regional perspective.

A short overview over the theatre's openings in the years from 2003 to 2010 speaks for itself:

Maria Tryti Vennerød's Take me by the Wings,

O. J. Grønskag: Filantropikana* (Philantrophy),

Hopland: Svik* (Betrayal),

Grønskag/Vennerød/Brantzeg: Båt 1* (Boat 1),

Rune Belsvik: Gummelum* (Gummelum),

Tryti Vennerød: More,

Grønskag: Siste dagar sett* (Last Days Seen),

Kj. Indregard: Tylefakte* (Mad Moves),

Losnegård: Maksvær med vinskvett* (Maksvær with a slump of wine),

Losnegård: Bill Bryant's Café

Ragnar Hovland: Storm frå nordvest* (Northwestern Storm),

Roger Hilleren: Heilt på tuppa* (Close to flipping),

Aslak Moe et al.: Saman skal vi leve* (We are to live together),

Maria Tryti Vennerød: Gokk

Edvard Hoem: Mikael Hetles siste ord* (The Last Words of Mikael Hetle),

Maria Lundberg: To skilte men* (Two Divorced Men),

Stig Amdam: Simon's Story,

Hans Sand: Hyttekoz* (Cozy in a Cabin),

Karen Røise Kielland: Burn baby burn,

Marit Tusvik: The Ice House,

Brandtzeg/Tveit: Matias Orheim"

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