The Department
In The Department (2004) by Jo Strømgren Kompani four hardcore bureaucrats have for long been stuck in an office deep inside a government department. Secret message deliveries and bleeping lamps control their daily chores and the outside world has become nothing but a blurred memory. But they manage. Until one strange day when the smell of freshly baked bread fills the air. This turns out to have fatal consequences and soon there are signs of a revolution outside.
Information
(Objekt ID 1538)| Object type | Production |
| Premiere | May 1, 2004 |
| Produced by | Jo Strømgren Kompani |
| Coproducers | The National Theatre, Rogaland Theatre, Trøndelag Theatre, BIT Teatergarasjen, Bergen International Festival |
| Audience | Adults |
| Language | Gibberish |
| Keywords | Dance theatre, Physical theatre, Theatre, Comedy, Dance |
| Running period | May 1, 2004 |
| Duration | 70 minutes |
| Website | Jo Strømgren Kompani |
Requirements to venue
| Minimum stage width | 13m |
| Minimum stage depth | 10m |
| Blackout | Yes |
| Rigging time | 420 minutes |
| Downrigging time | 60 minutes |
In The Department Jo Strømgren Kompani showed us a world which is getting more and more confusing every day. People understand less and less about who really is in charge of decisions and how/why they are made. And no matter how complex and sophisticated we build our institutions and bodies of power, we cannot avoid the weakest link – the human. After all, the ones to push the buttons and pass on information are the closest relatives to the apes.
Touring: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Austria, Slovakia, Serbia, Macedonia, Holland, Scotland, Australia, Poland,USA
Supported by: Arts Council Norway, the municipality of Bergen, the Fund for Performing Artists, the Audio Visual Fund and supported on selected venues by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NordScen.
Source:
Jo Strømgren Kompani, jskompanin.no, 29.07.2010, http://jskompani.no/productions/10
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Jo Strømgren | – Script |
| Jo Strømgren | – Concept/Idea |
| Jo Strømgren | – Direction |
| Jo Strømgren | – Choreography |
| Jo Strømgren | – Stage design |
| Cathrine Gudmestad | – Costume design |
| Lars Årdal | – Sound design |
| Stephen Rolfe | – Lighting design |
| Trond Fausa Aurvåg | – Actor |
| Espen Reboli Bjerke | – Actor |
| John Brungot | – Actor |
| Bartek Kaminski | – Actor |
| Hans Jaran Skogen | – Sound technician |
| Ken Ruben Theodorsen | – Sound technician |
| Leila Sunniva Berg | – Lighting technician |
| Lise Risom Olsen | – Lighting technician |
| Ann-Christin Danhammar | – Producer |
| December 13, 2008 | Show |
| December 12, 2008 | Show |
| December 11, 2008 | Show |
| December 10, 2008 | Show |
| Navember 15, 2008 – Studio Bergen, Carte Blanche | Show |
| Navember 14, 2008 – Studio Bergen, Carte Blanche | Show |
| October 24, 2008 | Show |
| October 23, 2008 | Show |
| June 15, 2008 – Studio Bergen, Carte Blanche | Show |
| June 14, 2008 – Studio Bergen, Carte Blanche | Reopening |
| October 15, 2004 21:00 – BIT Teatergarasjen (Oktoberdans) | Show |
| October 14, 2004 21:00 – BIT Teatergarasjen (Oktoberdans) | Show |
| May 30, 2004 – BIT Teatergarasjen | Show |
| May 29, 2004 – BIT Teatergarasjen | Show |
| May 1, 2004 | Worldwide premiere |
| Oktoberdans | October 14, 2004 |
Writer and date unknown, The Sunday Morning Herald [Sydney, Australia]:
"Painful truths in brilliant nonsense. Manic humour covers deep despair in this engrossing production from Norway. We in the audience may laugh hysterically at the antics of four men caught in the grip of an unseen yet unrelenting bureaucracy, but at the same time we can't escape their pain..."
Writer and date unknown, British Theatre Guide [England]:
"If you find this performance coming to a venue near you in the future kill for a ticket."