Koffertene* (The Suitcases)
In the production for children titled Koffertene* (The Suitcases) Klomadu Theatre (1996) dealt with the destinies of two persons. Longing, hope and the joy of seeing someone again were central subjects for the production. The company chose the timeless form of the fable to treat vulnerable, difficult issues.
Information
(Objekt ID 2257)| Object type | Production |
| Premiere | March 28, 1996 |
| Produced by | Klomadu Theatre |
| Audience | Children (from 6) |
| Language | Norwegian |
| Keywords | Theatre, Performance for children, Puppetry |
| Running period | March 28, 1996 |
| Website | Klomadu Teater |
In Koffertene* (The Suitcases) by Klomadu Theatre the audience meets two travelling women who randomly meet. They are both uneasy travellers, Klara is touring with her puppetry, Sesse with the equipment of a soothsayer. The reasons for their travels are the longing and searching for a place to belong, a history and a home.
In the production Koffertene Klomadu Theatre attempts in an open and entertaining manner to tell a story about two human destinies the way they have been shaped in a time of war and destruction. From their simple suitcases the women pull out a world of songs and stories - through which they eventually recognise each others as sisters.
In 2000 Koffertene was selected for the festival Assitej in Kristiansand, and it was invited to the feminist festival in Stockholm. The production has been performed close to 200 times, touring the counties of Sør-Trøndelag, Hordaland, Hedmark, Akershus, Oslo and Møre and Romsdal. Koffertene still is part of the company's repertoire.
Koffertene by Klomadu Theatre was supported by The Audio Visual Fund and the county of Hedmark among others.
Sources:
Performing Arts Hub Norway, 14.12.2010, http://www.danseogteatersentrum.no/sck/members.shtml?lang=nor&sam=&cat=&gen=&cou=&cri=Klomadu%20Teater&aid=24&prid=3&act=prod
Klomadu Theatre, 14.12.2010, http://www.klomadu.no/spilleplanen.htm
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Svein Gundersen (teater) | – Script |
| Svein Gundersen (teater) | – Direction |
| Henrik Høie | – Music |
| Bjørn Sverre Kristensen | – Music |
| Svein Gundersen (teater) | – Stage design |
| Ola Jevnaker | – Costume design |
| Kirsten Ekern | – Puppetry Design |
| Nina Engelund | – Actor (Klara) |
| Karen Høie | – Actor (Sesse) |
| Karen Høie | – Producer |
| March 28, 1996 | Worldwide premiere |
Geir Vestad, date unknown, Hamar Arbeiderblad [Hamar]:
"To begin with the material presented are dramatically forceful, about children who become victims of was and abuse and are put away. The pain and suffering are close, but still not scarily hurtful, because the two women have both as children experienced being taken care of by good people. They have given them the ability to see their lives in light of the myth and fairytale - and such discover what bind them and perhaps all of us together."
Laila Bakken, date unknown, Hamar Dagblad [Hamar]:
"The topic is discussed in an unorthodox manner, with stories, humour, fairytale and puppetry. The lush acting of Nina Engelund and Karen Høie makes this an experience in which the children on the first row sat with their eyes wide open. The characters they interpret obviously capture. As do the puppets."
Randi Berge Svendsen, date unknown, Fædrelandsvennen:
"And with this strong story Klomadu Theatre manages to reach a wide audience, to day something about the situation of many in our contemporary society. I take the liberty to claim that it can tell all children about their loneliness and fears. (...) The actors do solid work, managing to combine the serious, the warm and the humorous, so that the story becomes strong, but not unbearably painful."