America
Visions of love
America - Visions of love (2009) is a production by Winter Guests/Alan Lucien Øyen.
"When we packed our bags, (with Baudrillard’s America as the only travel guide) and rather arrogantly set out to clear America of charges and to save the Americans from their bad reputation, we were first and foremost confronted with our own prejudices and bias", Alan Lucien Øyen/Winterguests describes.
Information
(Objekt ID 3007)| Object type | Production |
| Original title | America - Visions of Love |
| Premiere | October 1, 2009 |
| Produced by | winter guests |
| Coproducers | BIT Teatergarasjen, Carte Blanche, Dansens Hus, |
| Audience | Adults |
| Language | English |
| Keywords | Theatre, Video, Dance |
| Running period | October 1, 2009 |
| Duration | 180 minutes with 1 interval |
| Website | Winterguests |
Requirements to venue
| Blackout | Yes |
America - Visions of Love by Winter Guests/Alan Lucien Øyen examines the relationship to America.
As the company says*: "Why is the whole world so preoccupied with America and American culture? It seems an image, or movie exists in everybody’s mind about what it is "America" is and what it represents. We decided to grab a hold of that. Of our assumptions, our love, loathing and prejudice, and make this our stage performance: or rather, directions for a movie that might be made about people making a performance about America. This way, everyone could take part: George, Geoff, Marilyn, Donna, Drew, Ronald, Phil, Syria, Lazlo, Richard and Becca, Dennis, Peg, Larry, Annette, Tom, and Tom – and Debbie – and all those others we either happened to meet, note or record in our spread journey through The New World.
We have edited as one might edit a movie; re-ordering, re-contextualising, re-forming characters.
Through our prejudiced glance is a play appearing, with characters – all the Americans we met. They step out of their reality and gets onstage with us, and find their way into a screenplay based on transcripts of conversations we took part in or observed, as well as snatches of recontextualised dialogue from television shows or movies -and of course, our own writing."
America - Visions of love by Winter Guests/Alan Lucien Øyen was supported by Arts Council Norway, the municipality of Bergen, The Fund for Performing Artists and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs/MFA (travel grant/performing arts).
Sources:
BIT Teatergarasjen, autumn program 2009. 10.08.2010: http://www.bit-teatergarasjen.no/article/64
Winter guests, winterguests.com, 07.11.2010: http://winterguests.com/theatre/america-visions-of-love
*The quote consists of two very similar, intertwined quotes, originally quoted in Norwegian and English respectively.
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Andrew Wale | – Text |
| Alan Lucien Øyen | – Text |
| Alan Lucien Øyen | – Direction |
| Tom Remlov | – Dramaturge |
| Åsmund Færavaag | – Stage design |
| Alan Lucien Øyen | – Video/Film |
| Gunnar Innvær | – Sound design |
| Torkel Skjærven | – Lighting design |
| Krysten Cummings | – Performer (Gjesteaktør) |
| Suzie Davies | – Performer |
| Åsmund Færavaag | – Performer |
| Kate Pendry | – Performer |
| Andrew Wale | – Performer |
| Leander Øyen | – Performer |
| Erik Berg | – Photo |
| Martin Flack | – Technical director |
| Alan Lucien Øyen | – Video technician |
| Gunn Hernes | – Producer |
| April 16, 2011 – Stora Scen, Dansens Hus - Stockholm | Show |
| April 3, 2011 – Hovedscenen, Dansens Hus | Show |
| October 18, 2009 – Hovedscenen, Dansens Hus (CODA) | Show |
| October 3, 2009 – Studio Bergen, Carte Blanche (Oktoberdans) | Show |
| October 2, 2009 – Studio Bergen, Carte Blanche (Oktoberdans) | Show |
| October 1, 2009 – Studio Bergen, Carte Blanche (Oktoberdans) | Worldwide premiere |
| CODA | October 18, 2009 |
| Oktoberdans | October 1, 2009 |
Jan H. Landro, Bergens Tidende [Bergen, Norway]:
"Twelve year old Leander Øyen also impresses with his stage charisma and confidence. He is strongly reminiscent of the young, Polish boy Tadzio of Death in Venice, which is also referred to in the play. It makes an impression when he performs the story of an old, gay, sex-addicted man.”
Therese Bjørneboe, Klassekampen [Oslo, Norway]:
"Remarkably well performed and composed. At a high, international level."