Bang-Bang Club

The Bang Bang Club (2005) by De Utvalgte was a club for therapeutic experiments. A meeting place for the materialisation of states of mind. Where the need to see and be seen enticed the participants to expose themselves.

The membership in Bang Bang Club offered a playpen for challenging loneliness. Here the self-pleasure competed with love for your fellow human beings, desire with betrayal.

Information

(Objekt ID 1811)
Object type Production
Premiere March 18, 2004
Produced by De Utvalgte
Audience Youth, Adults (from 15)
Language Norwegian
Keywords Performance, Theatre, Biographical theatre, Documentary, Video, Post-dramatic theatre
Running period March 18, 2004  —  August 27, 2006
Duration 1 hour
Website De Utvalgte

Requirements to venue

Minimum stage width 7m
Maximum stage width 7m
Minimum stage depth 7m
Maximum stage depth 15m
Minimum stage height 4m
Maximum stage height 4m
Lights requirements Brought with or otherwise agreed with the group
Audio requirements Brought with or otherwise agreed with the group
Blackout Yes
Rigging time 180 minutes
Downrigging time 90 minutes
Audience 200
Other Due to the long rigging time we would prefer to play the production in the same space for several days. The performance is best suited for projection from behind, or with front projection: 7x7. We prefer performing on a flat floor rather than a stage.
More

The Bang-Bang Club originally was a group of South-African photographers who exposed the brutality of the apartheid regime. Constantly witnessing human tragedy, they were driven by the dilemma: When do you stop reflecting reality and start to intervene?

Bang Bang Club was inspired by the Swedish anthology Freeze - the successful freezing of Mr. Fun. Documentary material was mixed with fiction, film and theatre in a performance in the intersection between theatre, performance and inner reflection. Seriousness was coupled with humour and the small private story was reflected in the large global.

In Bang Bang Club De Utvalgte asked questions such as: Is it at all possible to compare pain with pain? When is the political discourse just a tool to promote one’s own excellence? Is our so-called moral consciousness just individual cheating and empty bragging?

Texts used in the performance was developed by the troupe itself, as well as material provided by Eugène Ionesco and Flu Hartberg/Dongery.

Supported by: Arts Council Norway, The Audio Visual Fund.

Sources:

BIT Teatergarasjen, bit-teatergarasjen.no, "Høst 2006", 21.08.2010, http://www.bit-teatergarasjen.no/article/64

De Utvalgte, deutvalgte.no, 21.08.2010, http://www.deutvalgte.no /24.09.2021, https://www.deutvalgte.no/portfolio_page/bang-bang-club/

Contributors (16)
Name Role
Kari Holtan – Idea
Kari Holtan – Direction
Boya Bøckman – Stage design
Kari Holtan – Stage design
Boya Bøckman – Video/Film
Kari Holtan – Video/Film
John Birger Wormdahl – Sound design
Boya Bøckman – Lighting design
Torbjørn Davidsen – Actor
Marius Kolbenstvedt – Actor
Randi Rommetveit – Actor
Vilde Wahl – Actor
John Birger Wormdahl – Actor
Kari Holtan – Producer
Anne Holtan – Consultant (Tekstkonsulent)
Pia Maria Roll – Other (Produksjonsmedarbeider)
Performance dates
February 15, 2015Lille scene (Marstrandgata), Black box teater Show
February 14, 2015Lille scene (Marstrandgata), Black box teater Show
February 14, 2015Lille scene (Marstrandgata), Black box teater Show
February 13, 2015Lille scene (Marstrandgata), Black box teater New opening
August 27, 2006BIT Teatergarasjen Show
August 26, 2006BIT Teatergarasjen Show
June 22, 2006 Show
June 21, 2006 Show
Navember 4, 2005Store scene Black Box Teater (Marstrandgata) Show
June 3, 2005Vaglebruket, Teater NOR (Stamsund Teaterfestival) Show
March 3, 2005Teaterhuset Avant Garden Show
March 2, 2005Teaterhuset Avant Garden Show
March 21, 2004Lille scene (Marstrandgata), Black box teater Show
March 20, 2004Lille scene (Marstrandgata), Black box teater Show
March 19, 2004Lille scene (Marstrandgata), Black box teater Show
March 18, 2004Lille scene (Marstrandgata), Black box teater Worldwide premiere
Festivals (1)
Press coverage

Anki Gerhardsen, En morsom og trist opplevelse (literally: A fun and sad experience), date unknown, Lofotposten:
"Hysterically funny, incredibly sad, harrowing, thought-provoking and insanely well played."

Therese Bjørneboe, Festival i puberteten?, Norsk Shakespeare-og teatertidsskrift Nr. 2/2005:
"It is about the difficult zone between the public and the private, the authentic and the acted. About peeping and observation of oneself, but Bang-Bang Club develops into a more complex and powerful performance than one could sense beforehand."