Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? was a theatre production produced by Oslo Nye Teater (Oslo New Theatre) in 2002, based on the play by Edward Albee. The production was staged at the theatre's main stage.
Svein Sturla Hungnes directed it.
Anne Krigsvoll and Dennis Storhøi interpreted the roles of Martha and George. Storhøi won The Norwegian Critics' Award 2003 for the role of George, and he was nominated for The Hedda Award 2003 in the particularly excellent performance category for the same part.
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? won The Hedda Award 2003 in the production of the year category.
Information
(Objekt ID 21705)| Object type | Production |
| Premiere | September 6, 2002 |
| Produced by | Oslo Nye Teater (Oslo New Theatre) |
| Based on | Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edward Albee |
| Audience | Adults |
| Language | Norwegian |
| Keywords | Drama, Theatre |
| Running period | September 6, 2002 |
The Hedda Jury gave the following reason for the production of the year award to Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?:
"The production of the year was seen by close to 30 000 spectators, and during its run there was actually not a single seat available. The production was the event of the autumn. This was deserved. Without ever working against the text, the director grabbed hold of one of the most well-known dramas of our age, freed it from clichés and conventions, and managed to enlarge the originally simple and tormenting conflicts so that they also dealt with the perverted, destructive game between man and woman. Through excellent interaction the actors of the productions, each in their way contributed to making a tragic, drunken and madcap afterparty into disturbingly good theatre.
The winner of the year is Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at Oslo Nye Teater (Oslo New Theatre), directed by Svein Sturla Hungnes, with Anne Krigsvoll, Dennis Storhøi, Nicolai Cleve Broch and Trine Wiggen in the roles."
Dennis Storhøi won The Norwegian Critics' Award 2003 for the role of George, and in addition he was nominated for The Hedda Award 2003 in the particularly excellent performance category for the same part.
"Without looking at famous predecessors, he made the characters definitely his: If the worn-down professor he played never became leader of the institute, he at least achieved a doctorate in sarcasm, in eternal dispute with his regular opponent, Martha - in this production passionately brought to life by Anne Krigsvoll.
With discipline and controlled acting he developed a person who had gone wrong, but remained vulnerable; there was massive love in the bottom of it. Thus this version of the play gave us more than just verbal warring, something deeper than wit with a dark undertone. At Oslo Nye Teater (Oslo New Theatre) the most famous afterparty of theatrical history became a true hell."
The complete speech can be read at the webpage of Norwegian Critics' Association (link in Norwegian only).
SOURCES:
Sceneweb on The Hedda Award 2003, www.sceneweb.no, 24.10.2012, http://www.sceneweb.no/en/awarding/23886/The_Hedda_Award_2003-2003
Norwegian Critics' Association, kritikerlaget.no, 29.09.2011, http://www.kritikerlaget.no/pages/nor/28-teaterkritikerprisen_til_dennis_storhoei
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Edward Albee | – Playwright |
| Svein Sturla Hungnes | – Translation |
| Svein Sturla Hungnes | – Direction |
| Birgitte Lie | – Stage design |
| Trude Bergh | – Costume design |
| Øyvind Wangensteen | – Lighting design |
| Nicolai Cleve Broch | – Actor (Nick) |
| Anne Krigsvoll | – Actor (Martha) |
| Dennis Storhøi | – Actor (George) |
| Trine Wiggen | – Actor (Honey) |
| Jill Tonje Holter | – Makeup |
| John Ellefsen | – Stage manager |
| Roger Fossum | – Stage manager |
| Marit Anna Evanger | – Photo |
| Didi Stig | – Prompter |
| September 6, 2002 – Hovedscenen (The Main Stage), Oslo Nye Teater (Oslo New Theatre) | Opening night |