Title File type Publiseringsdato Download
Anmeldelse av Elisabeth Leinslie i Dagsavisen av Dramatikkfestivalen 2006 pdf June 22, 2006 Download

Sneglegutten* (The Snail Boy)

Sneglegutten* (The Snail Boy) was a play for children by Lars Vik, Grenland Friteater: It is night, and the stars shine bright. Beneath The Big Dipper a cat girl meets a dog boy. The wind brings along the sounds from an adult party somewhere far away. She has thousand Norwegian kroner in her pocket. He has a doghouse he has left. But what are two ten year olds doing outside this late at night?

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

Information

(Objekt ID 1712)
Object type Production
Premiere March 11, 2006
Produced by Grenland Friteater
In collaboration with Ibsen Theatre, , The Norwegian Theatre
Based on Sneglegutten by Lars Vik
Audience Children (from 8 to 12)
Audience size 16481
Number of events 223
Language Norwegian
Keywords Theatre, Performance for children
Running period March 11, 2006  —  February 6, 2009
Website Grenland Friteater

Requirements to venue

Minimum stage width 8m
Minimum stage depth 8m
Minimum stage height 4m
Blackout Yes
Rigging time 150 minutes
Downrigging time 30 minutes
Audience 90
More

As part of the 2006 celebration of Ibsen a playwriting contest was announced and Lars Vik decided to register. Vik had heard a story about some children being paid thousand Norwegian kroner to stay away when the parents held a party. An image came up – and a mood. A left doghouse. A dark and overgrown garden with heavy trees. Forgotten children’s toys in the dark of autumn. It began to look like a room in which unusual meetings could take place. What if a young boy happened to meet a young girl in this garden? What if they both had something to hide, something they were forced into revealing before the end of the night?

The story became the origin of the play Sneglegutten (literally: The Snail Boy) and it won the playwriting contest 1000 and NOW. While Ibsen wrote great plays about great questions for great people, Lars Vik attempted to write a small play about great questions for small people.

What is sadder than rain, half empty balloons and crop closed apple trees?

Boy: I wish I had one of those daddies.

Girl: They are overrated.

Boy: It would have been nice just to try one...

Girl: Did yours leave too?

Boy: He never showed up.

Sources:

Grenland Friteater, grenlandfriteater.com, 29.07.2010, http://www.grenlandfriteater.com/show_details.asp?ID=986

Porsgrunn International Theatre Festival, pit.no, 29.07.2010, http://2006.pit.no/vis_tgruppe.asp?gID=78

Contributors (9)
Name Role
Lars Vik – Playwright
Geddy Aniksdal – Direction
Bjørn Klakegg – Music
Guro Dalene – Stage design
Guro Dalene – Costume design
Tor Arne Ursin – Lighting design
Olav Hanto – Actor (Gutten)
Kjersti Høgli – Actor (Jenta)
Jonas Borgan Olsen (from 2009 to 2011) – Producer
Performance dates
Festivals (1)
Press coverage

"Sneglegutten is a vulnerable, moving description of children sacrificed due to adult egoism and their attempts at binding bonds of friendship." Oslopuls