Mat/Menn/Mus* (Food/Men/Mice)
Mat/Menn/Mus* (Food/Men/Mice) was a production for youth by Gorgon Productions, produced in 1999 and based on Erlend Loe's book Maria & José.
The production is in two parts. In the first room the audience meets Maria. On the surface Maria is perfect, successful and beautiful. Maria doesn't think so herself. She lives in a struggle between the image she shows others and her own self-image. Maria has many secrets.
In the other room we meet José. He loves Maria and could do everything for her. But he has a problem, he has become so small the only way he can be close to Maria is living in her ear. One day José discovers Maria's egg, which is about to loosen.
The production discusses the themes eating disorders, love and sexuality, expectations and perceptions of one's self and the opposite sex.
*Not yet translated into English. The title within parentheses is the Norwegian title's literal meaning.
Information
(Objekt ID 2435)| Object type | Production |
| Premiere | 1999 |
| Produced by | Gorgon Productions |
| Based on | Maria & Josè by Erlend Loe, Kim Hiorthøy |
| Audience | Youth (from 16) |
| Number of events | 102 |
| Language | Norwegian |
| Keywords | Theatre, Performance for youth |
| Running period | 1999 — 2003 |
| Duration | One hour |
| Website | Gorgon Produksjoner |
Requirements to venue
| Blackout | No |
| Rigging time | 30 minutes |
| Downrigging time | 90 minutes |
| Audience | 60 |
In the making of the production Mat/Menn/Mus* (Food/Men/Mice) by Gorgon Productions pupils at the upper secondary school of Kongsberg were used as consultants. The actors followed a class of pupils for a month, and with the pupils they worked with ideas and texts. According to Gorgon Productions the pupils gave invaluable and insightful comments to work-in-progress viewings, and they took part in shaping the final product.
Mat/Menn/Mus is a school performance made for a class room and a safety bunker respectively. The production opened in 1999 and has toured large parts of Southern Norway since then, at upper and lower secondary schools alike.
Based on the experiences Gorgon Productions has made some suggestions for pedagogic use. The content of the performance is appropriate for discussions in Norwegian, aesthetic and health/social/mental health-related lessons.
*Not yet translated into English. The title within parentheses is the Norwegian title's literal meaning.
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Erlend Loe | – Author |
| Sissel Drag | – Idea |
| Kristin Hestad | – Idea |
| Carol Mendelsohn | – Direction |
| Inge van der Drift | – Stage design |
| Ebba Johansson | – Costume |
| Sissel Drag | – Actor |
| Kristin Hestad | – Actor |
| Marius Kolbenstvedt | – Actor |
| Olav Torget | – Narrator |
| Olav Torget | – Musician |
| March 2003 – Store scene (Vika), Black Box teater | Show |
| 2000 | Show |
| 1999 | Worldwide premiere |
Writer and date unknown, Vårt Land [Oslo]:
"We would assume that pupils and teachers have much to talk about in the lessons after the four from Gorgon Productions turned off the lights after the end of the performance. For creative and thought-provoking it became - about exciting and serious themes."
Writer and date unknown, Porsgrunn Arbeiderblad [Porsgrunn]:
"Humorous and particular theatre (....) the piece should absolutely have been performed for open doors too, so that more people could have been provided with the understated philosophy of Erlend Loe, and the good, in part absurd role interpretations (....) the play as well as the pudding were obviously to the taste of the lower secondary school audience."
Writer and date unknown, Bergens Tidende [Bergen]:
"The theatre company Gorgon lets minimalism at its most grey set the tone for Maria's life style (....) the approach to the audience is not minimalist, but manifold and direct."