The Bible

At the webpage of The Norwegian Theatre the following, among other things, is written about The Bible:

"Part 1: Ørkenvandringar (literally: Desert Wanderings)
The first part finds it material in The Old Testament. Here humans are wandering. They wander through the ages, they wander the desert, they search for meaning, they are on an eternal quest for a better life, a promised land, a new beginning. God is always present, but he is not easily understood. Often he punishes people for not obeying him. But the humans do not learn, and the desert wanderings have no end. In Ørkenvandringar we meet Moses, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah, Abraham, Sarah and Isaac, Job, King Saul and King David, Laban and his family, Joseph and his brothers, refugees and outcasts, angels and the animals of the Ark.

Part 2: Jesus frå Nasaret (literally: Jesus from Nazareth)
God changes strategies. Punishment and obedience have no effect on the humans. The law doesn't give all the answers. The new message is love. Satan comes, and the world becomes a battle between good and evil. We follow the life of Jesus until crucifixion. He is a rebel. He is dangerous to those in power, for the Pharisees, the priesthood, for Herod, but also for zealots and others with no liking for the message about love. Jesus doubts, and Jesus believes. Finally he walks the hard way into death. What happens after that? That is a question of belief."

The Norwegian Theatre's The Bible is composed of these scenes, written by the following playwrights:

Part 1: Ørkenvandringar:
1 Gud ropar på Moses* (God calls for Moses). Text by: Eirik Fauske
2 Himmelen og Edens Hage* (Heaven and The Garden of Eden). Text by: The Bible and Stein Winge
3 Gud, Lucifer og Job* (God, Lucifer and Job). Text by: Stein Winge
4 Kain og Abel* (Cain and Abel). Text by: Carl Morten Amundsen and José Saramago
5 Slektstavlene før Noah* (The genealogies prior to Noah). Text by: The Bible
6 Gud angrar på at han skapte menneska* (God regrets creating the humans). Text by: The Bible
7 Noahs ark* (Noah's Ark). Text by: Stein Winge
8 Noahs monolog* (Noah's monologue). Text by: Maria Tryti Vennerød
9 Abraham blir beden om å ofra sonen Isak* (Abraham is asked to sacrifice his son Isaac). Text by: Maria Tryti Vennerød
10 Sara og Gud* (Sarah and God). Text by: Maria Tryti Vennerød
11 Isak får leva likevel* (Isaac is allowed to live after all). Text by: Stein Winge, José Saramago and Maria Tryti Vennerød
12 Flyktningar i ørkenen* (Refugees in the desert). Text by: Eirik Fauske and Maria Tryti Vennerød
13 Laban fortel* (Laban narrates). Text by: Terje Nordby
14 Familien Noah går i land i Israel* (The Noah family disembarks in Israel). Text by: Ari Behn and Maria Tryti Vennerød
15 Job klagar si naud* (Job cries out his sorrows). Text by: The Bible
16 Gud og Lucifer* (God and Lucifer). Text by: Maria Tryti Vennerød
17 Moses leier folket* (Moses leads the people). Text by: Eirik Fauske
18 Abraham og Isak i ørkenen* (Abraham and Isaac in the desert). Text by: Ari Behn
19 Gullkalven* (The Golden Calf). Text by: Carl Morten Amundsen
20 Moses og israelittane* (Moses and the Israelis). Text by: Eirik Fauske
21 Bestemor og jente i Jeriko* (Grandmother and girl in Jericho). Text by: Maria Tryti Vennerød
22 Hoffet til Saul* (The court of Saul). Text by: Terje Nordby
23 Batseba fortel* (Bathsheba narrates). Text by: Cecilie Løveid
24 Forkynnaren* (Ecclesiastes). Text by: The Bible
25 Gud har ein ny plan* (God has a new plan). Text by: Maria Tryti Vennerød
26 Fredsfyrsten* (The Lord of Peace). Text by: The Bible

Several scenes have found inspiration in works by José Saramago, Nikos Kazantzakis, Michel de Ghelderode and Mikhail Bulgakov.

Part 2: Jesus frå Nasaret:
1 Herodes og Kaifas* (Herod and Caiaphas). Text by: Maria Tryti Vennerød
2 Juleevangeliet* (The Gospel of Christmas). Without text
3 Josef og Jesus* (Joseph and Jesus). Text by: Stein Winge
4 Jesus blir fødd* (Jesus is born). Text by: The Bible
5 Jesus og Judas* (Jesus and Judas). Text by: Ari Behn and Stein Winge
6 Jesus og Maria* (Jesus and Mary). Text by: Stein Winge
7 Maria og rabbien* (Mary and the rabbi). Text by: Anne Holtan and The Gospel of Thomas
8 Jesus og arbeidsengelen* (Jesus and the angel of work). Text by: Stein Winge
9 Jesus talar offentleg for første gong. Text by: The Bible
10 Gjetaren freistar Jesus* (The shepherd tempts Jesus). Text by: Stein Winge, Anne Holtan and José Saramago
11 Judas blir læresvein* (Judas becomes an apostle). Text by: Stein Winge
12 Jomfru Maria og engelen* (Virgin Mary and the Angel). Text by: Stein Winge freely based on José Saramago
13 Bryllaupet i Kana* (The wedding at Cana). Text by: Ari Behn
14 Jesus talar til læresveinane* (Jesus speaks to the apostles). Text by: The Bible
15 Jesus møter farisearane* (Jesus meets the Pharisees). Text by: Maria Tryti Vennerød
16 Kvinna som ikkje vart steina* (The woman who was not stoned). Text by: Anne Holtan
17 Hospitalet: Maria Magdalena blir læresvein* (The hospital: Mary Magdalene becomes an apostle). Text by: Sara Stridsberg
18 Johannes Døyparen* (John the Baptist). Text by: Stein Winge
19 Jesus blir freista i ørkenen* (Jesus is tempted in the desert). Text by: The Bible and Anne Holtan
20 Jesus, Gud og Satan* (Jesus, God and Satan). Text by: Anne Holtan, José Saramago, The Bible and The Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi
21 The Sermon on the Mount. Text by: The Bible
22 Jesus sender ut læresveinane* (Jesus dispatches the apostles). Text by: The Bible
23 Johannes Døyparen kjem i fengsel* (John the Baptist is imprisoned). Text by: Maria Tryti Vennerød
24 Læresveinane ved leirbålet* (The apostles by the campfire). Text by: Anne Holtan, The Gospel of Mary Magdalene and The Gospel of Thomas
25 Maria Magdalenas song* (The Song of Mary Magdalene). Text by: The Bible
26 Farisearane på hospitalet* (The Pharisees in the hospital). Text by: Maria Tryti Vennerød
27 Herodes og farisearane planlegg å drepa Jesus* (Herod and the Pharisees plan to kill Jesus). Text by: Maria Tryti Vennerød
28 Innmarsjen til Jerusalem* (The March on Jerusalem). Text by: The Bible and Stein Winge
29 Judas ber Maria Magdalena om hjelp* (Judas asks Mary Magdalene for help). Text by: Anne Holtan
30 Nattverden* (The Last Supper). Text by: The Bible
31 I Getsemane* (In Gethsemane). Text by: Stein Winge
32 Pontius Pilatus* (Pontius Pilate). Text by: Stein Winge
33 Jesus hjå Herodes* (Jesus at Herod's). Text by: Maria Tryti Vennerød
34 Barabbas. Text by: Anne Holtan freely based on Ghelderode
35 Vinter i Getsemane: Møte med far* (Winter in Gethsemane: Meeting with father). Text by: Sara Stridsberg

Several scenes have found inspiration in works by José Saramago, Nikos Kazantzakis, Michel de Ghelderode and Mikhail Bulgakov.

SOURCES:

The Norwegian Theatre, www.detnorsketeatret.no, http://www.detnorsketeatret.no/index.php?option=com_play&view=play&playid=373

The National Library of Norway, performance program digitised by The National Library of Norway, transferred to Sceneweb 04.12.2014

*Not yet translated into English. The title within parentheses is the Norwegian title's literal meaning.