H2O

The theatre production H2O by Teater NOR is a phenomenological approach to water in which Teater NOR has developed a room where the audience can follow the cycles of water, from mist via flowing to ice. In the water room the company projects images on the water surfaces and enhances its sounds through specially constructed water microphones. This way they attempt to tell their own story as citizens in the traditional fishing community of Lofoten, and the ongoing global debate of the end of the world.

In H2O texts by the philosopher Peter Vessel Zappfe about the stag whose antlers grew so heavy it eventually was incapable of lifting its head – upon which it died out. Zappfe claimed that the human brain has developed in the same manner; we are now in conflict with our own nature and the rest of the creation. As a consequence the human race should stop giving birth to new children and let itself die out, Zappfe found.

In addition to displaying the amazing, life-giving characteristics of water, the production H2O comments our lifestyle, our consumption, the way the world is organised and not least our timidity come to global problems. H2O emphasises the correlation between insight and action and challenges the idea of humans primarily acting out of insight.

H2O was supported by Arts Council Norway, The Fund for Performing Artists, the county of Nordland and the municipality of Vestvågøy.

Source: e-mail from Thorbjørn Gabrielsen, 10.11.2010