I want to be traditional

I want to be traditional (2020) is a theatre production by Maritea Dæhlin. The production opened at Vinterscenen in Porsgrunn.

Maritea Dæhlin wrote the text for the production, directed it and performed it.

Maritea Dæhlin was nominated for Norwegian Critics' Award for Theatre 2019/2020 and for the Hedda Award 2021/2022 in the category Best text for the stage for her work on I want to be traditional.

Information

(Objekt ID 103708)
Object type Production
Premiere February 8, 2020
Produced by
Coproducers Black Box Teater, Grenland Friteater
Audience Adults, Youth
Language Spanish, Norwegian and English
Keywords Corona-production, Theatre, Solo, Biographical theatre, Epic Theatre, Physical theatre, Improvisation, Installation, Metatheatre, Poetry event, Monologue, Multimedia, Performance, Political Theatre, Ritual, Black theatre, Multidisciplinary, Performance for youth, Video
Running period February 8, 2020  
Website Black Box teater
More

The company writes the following, among other things, about I want to be traditional:

"I want to be traditional is a solo work attempting to stretch the limits for the layered, fleeting self, in continuous motion.

'Roots are trying to dig into my skin, duele, det gjør vondt, even if I know they are only trying to get some nourishment, then they carry on floating away into a sea of sand eller av sukker o de sangre or of herbs without needing to grasp into one single spot. Som vanlig someone then comes and asks me where I am from y preguntan de dónde soy, where my mother is from, hvor faren min kommer fra, de dónde vienen mis hijos, where my phone is from, hvor katten min kommer fra.' 

(Sceneweb's comment: The quote above is in its original form, to show the linguistic mix of it. Translated into the English, it means the following: 'Roots are trying to dig into my skin, pain, it hurts, even if I know they are only trying to get some nourishment, then they carry on floating away into a sea of sand or of sugar or of blood or of herbs without needing to grasp into one single spot. As usual, someone then comes and asks me where I am from and ask where I am from, where my mother is from, where my father is from, where my children come from, where my phone is from, where my cat comes from.')

Maritea creates ritualistic and visual rooms, revolving around text, fragmenting, repetition and rhythm. Personal and invented memories are weaved together, into a continuous stream of thoughts."

SOURCE:

Black Box Teater, blackbox.no, 31.08.2020, https://blackbox.no/tittel/i-want-to-be-traditional/

Contributors (18)
Name Role
Maritea Dæhlin – Text
Maritea Dæhlin – Concept/Idea
Maritea Dæhlin – Direction
Pia Maria Roll – Dramaturge
Ursula Lascurain – Costume
Díaz Valderrama – Video/Film
Felipe Cussen – Sound design
Kurt Hermansen – Lighting design
Maritea Dæhlin – Performer
Ursula Lascurain – Props
Díaz Valderrama – Photo
Agnieszka Maria Nowacka – Technician
Ursula Lascurain – Production manager
Elisabeth Gmeiner – Producer
Deise Faria Nunes – Advisor (prosjektutvikler)
Hanne Grieg Hermansen – Advisor (visuell rådgiver og prosjektutvikler)
Gabriela Ottogalli – Consultant (ytre øye)
Soh Tokunaga – Production assistant
Performance dates
October 18, 2020Store scene Black Box Teater (Marstrandgata) Show
October 17, 2020Store scene Black Box Teater (Marstrandgata) Show
October 16, 2020Store scene Black Box Teater (Marstrandgata) Show
March 2020Store scene Black Box Teater (Marstrandgata) Show
February 8, 2020 20:00 – Friteatret, Grenland Friteater Worldwide premiere
Festivals (2)
Press coverage

Chris Erichsen, Scenekunst.no, Det de kaller sløseri (literally: What they call waste), 18.03.20:

"At times, such a little mystic moment takes place, when someone you have never seen enters, surprisingly, from the side, offering something brand new and fresh, just like that. Who is she? Where did she come from? (...) Sure, it is about the tired word identity, but in a far larger and more collective universe than in our discourse at home."

Julie Rongved Amundsen, Klassekampen, Med hud og hår (literally: With skin and hair, which is a Norwegian idiom for going all in), 07.03.20:

"Beneath the many fragmented texts, there is a strong urge for communication, and through that, the performance shows identity as a combination of body and language. I am fascinated by Maritea Dæhlin's stage presence and communication skills, and I am drawn into the performance with all my being. (...) That the language is also sound and rhythm illuminates what a text for the stage can be. It is exciting that the language so clearly is given a physical body and belonging."

Svante Aulis Löwenborg, Norsk Shakespearetidsskrift, I väntan på ett manifesto (literally: Awaiting a manifesto), 09.03.20:

"But what sets the tone is her treatment of the text (...) the text, and the repetitions and rhythmic forms it contains, is something one can almost stomp one's foot at, like a form of text jazz."