Chet spiller ikke her* (Chet doesn't play here)
Chet spiller ikke her* (Chet doesn't play here) (2009) was a theatre production by The National Theatre, the world premiere of a play by Lars Saabye Christensen. It was first performed at The Torshov Theatre, before it was transferred to the theatre's main stage due to audience demand.
Thorbjørn Harr and Sofia Jupither collaborated in directing it.
Thorbjørn Harr received Norwegian Critics' Award for theatre in 2009/2010 for the role of Daniel.
*Not yet translated into the English. The title within parentheses is the Norwegian title's literal meaning.
Information
(Objekt ID 33435)| Object type | Production |
| Premiere | September 2, 2009 |
| Produced by | The National Theatre, The Torshov Theatre |
| Based on | Chet Baker spiller ikke her* (Chet Baker does not play here) by Lars Saabye Christensen |
| Audience | Adults |
| Language | Norwegian |
| Keywords | Musical theatre, Theatre |
| Running period | September 2, 2009 |
"With his obsession with Chet Baker as a backdrop, including the development of his own talent as a sax player, Thorbjørn Harr created a deeply moving Daniel, the musician who sacrifices everything for the music, for the few moments in the life of a musicians that are pure happiness - when the tone is the divinely pure, the perfect, the optimal and ultimate. He dies without knowing if he gets to experience it. And was it worth it? Was he good enough?
These are also as always the actor's questions to himself. And as a representative for what in the play is described as 'the rude and ungrateful predator who doesn't understand shit', I responded to the question like this in my review:
'Thorbjørn Harr tours the enormous text brilliantly - simply, directly, vocally well-phrased, ironically distanced - everything seemingly spontaneously, there and then. A technical tour de force, one he fills with intense unsentimental sensibility, in particular sincere in the songs, and with great humour. 'Quiet, slow and suitable', which is the playwright's definition of 'cool', and 'cool' is the very definition of Chet Baker'."
The speech can be read in full (Norwegian only) here.
SOURCES:
Norwegian Critics' Association, kritikerlaget.no. 20.09.2011, http://www.kritikerlaget.no/pages/nor/538-teaterkritikerprisen_20092010_til_thorbjoern_harr
The National Theatre, www.nationaltheatret.no, 13.02.2013, http://fdb.nationaltheatret.no/S%C3%B8k/tabid/57/ctl/PlayView/mid/374/oppsetningId/0c804465-1281-4ff9-b03d-5fcd848dd56d/Default.aspx
*Not yet translated into the English. The title within parentheses is the Norwegian title's literal meaning.
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Lars Saabye Christensen | – Playwright |
| Thorbjørn Harr | – Adapted by |
| Thorbjørn Harr | – Direction |
| Sofia Jupither | – Direction |
| Aslak Hartberg | – Musical direction (Bass) |
| Gerd Stahl | – Dramaturge |
| Even Børsum | – Stage design |
| Sven Erga | – Sound |
| Linus Fellbom | – Lighting design |
| Jan Harald Jensen | – Light |
| Thorbjørn Harr | – Actor (Daniel - Kritikerprisen for teater 2009/2010) |
| Per Oddvar Johansen | – Musician (Slagverk) |
| Jørn Øien | – Musician (Piano) |
| Anders Aarum | – Musician (Piano) |
| Hege Ramstad | – Mask design |
| Flavio Kiforenco Pighin | – Props |
| Christina Johannessen | – Stage manager |
| Njål Øwre | – Stage Manager |
| Gillian M. Martin Schau | – Prompter |
| Tove Arna Lewin | – Producer |
| Jannik Finstad Wiberg | – Administration (Informasjonsansvarlig og markedsansvarlig) |
| September 2, 2009 – Torshovteatret - Hovedsalen | Worldwide premiere |