Per, du lügst. Ja!/Per, du lyver. Ja!/Per, you're lying. Yes!
Per, du lügst. Ja! (1993) by Baktruppen was produced in five versions, all in 1993. Version I Per, du lügst. Ja!, was performed in Frankfurt. Version II was called Per du lyver. Ja!, and was performed in Bergen. Version III Per you're lying. Yes! was performed in Zürich. Version IV was co-produced by Hebbel Theater and performed in Frankfurt and Berlin. Version V was co-produced by Monty and performed in Antwerp, opening an institute for happiness research.
Baktruppen also called itself Peer Gynt (spelled the way Ibsen did it, as opposed to the productions) in the period of performing the Per productions.They change the name to PEER GYNT 02.03.93 on 365 post cards with Elvis stamps from New Jersey.
Information
(Objekt ID 10315)| Object type | Production |
| Premiere | April 7, 1993 |
| Produced by | Baktruppen |
| Coproducers | BIT Teatergarasjen, , , Hebbel am Ufer |
| Based on | Peer Gynt by Henrik Ibsen |
| Audience | Adults |
| Keywords | Performance, Theatre |
| Running period | April 7, 1993 |
| Website | Baktruppen |
Requirements to venue
| Blackout | Yes |
Baktruppen produced five different versions of Per, you’re lying. Yes!in five different cities.
Baktruppen produced five different versions of Per, you’re lying. Yes!in five different cities.
The first Per you're lying. Yes! was an erotic education show, performed in Frankfurt under the title of Per du lügst. Ja!. Per Gynt made a body-controlled light system, painted the floor in pink and then everything took place automatically.
Next thing, Baktruppen travelled to Norway to study its own origins and met "the Curved One". In Per du lyver. Ja!, the second version, performed in Bergen, Per was a used cars salesman selling a Toyota Corolla for 39 000 NOK.
The third version was played in Zürich but had Hong Kong as a theme. This version was titled Per you're lying. Yes!. In 1997 Hong Kong will be incorporated into China. In Zürich Per Gynt also installed a radar atop the venue. Every time a boat entered the alarm zone, toot toot toot sounded.
The fourth version Per du lügst. Ja was performed in Berlin on an assignment from the Norwegian Ministry for Foreign Affairs/MFA. Baktruppen grew beards, danced folkloric dances and gave lectures on the conditions for love after the last Ice Age.
Eventually, in the fifth version, Peer was invited to Antwerp. There Baktruppen established a rock band and opened Institute of Happiness Research, with fireworks and flowers.
The title was a short version of the opening sentences from Ibsen's drama: Peer, you're lying. No, I am not. When the negation was removed, the drama of the quote disappeared. Baktruppen found that it is impossible to create theatre without acting as if life is a problem.
Sources:
Knut Ove Arntzen and Camilla Eeg-Tverbakk, ed. (2009). Performance art by Baktruppen. First part. Oslo: The publishing house Kontur forlag
Baktruppen, 31.12.2010, http://www.baktruppen.org
Baktruppen’s archive, donated by: Baktruppen, March 2011
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Tone Avenstroup | – Co-creator |
| Erik Balke | – Co-creator |
| Hans Petter Melø Dahl | – Co-creator |
| Trine Falch | – Co-creator |
| Gisle Frøysland | – Co-creator |
| Ingvild Holm | – Co-creator |
| Jørgen Knudsen | – Co-creator |
| Gurå Mathiesen Bjørre | – Co-creator |
| Bo Krister Wallström | – Co-creator |
| Worm Winther | – Co-creator |
| Tone Avenstroup | – Performer |
| Erik Balke | – Performer |
| Hans Petter Melø Dahl | – Performer |
| Trine Falch | – Performer |
| Gisle Frøysland | – Performer |
| Ingvild Holm | – Performer |
| Jørgen Knudsen | – Performer |
| Gurå Mathiesen Bjørre | – Performer |
| Bo Krister Wallström | – Performer |
| Worm Winther | – Performer |
| Zürcher Theater Spektakel | August 31, 1993 |