The story of the man who was an island

The story of the man who was an island by Alan Øyen. The story of the man who was an island is the story about a little boy. How does a child experience losing everything? The Norwegian choreographer and dancer Alan Øyen found himself influenced by the images and reportages after the tsunami disaster in Asia. Moving images of children searching for their parents made it hard for most of us not to think about the experience of loss and how the time after will be. Alan Øyen’s tight and poetic text is inspired by the Book of Job and Joni Mitchell, among others. The story of the man who was an island is a silent duet of text and dance that deals thematically with loneliness and being left behind alone after losing someone.

Information

(Objekt ID 4205)
Object type Production
Keywords Dance, Contemporary dance

Requirements to venue

Blackout Yes
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The story of the man who was an island by Alan Øyen tells the story about a little boy. It is inspired by the biblical Book of Job and of the songs of Joni Mitchell. The Book of Job poses one of the most fundamental questions about human life: Why is there evil, pain, suffering? Why is evil rewarded and good punished? Why is human life under so much injustice? Onstage we meet a child as little Job and Alan Øyen as the narrator.

The story of the man who was an island is the fourth production by Alan Øyen. Despite his young age, he has already made his mark with the full-length production Excerpts of citation without context (2004), the monologue Rainbows end (2005) and the solo Screened out (2005) for Daniel Proietto.

Alan Lucien Øyen has his background as a dancer at Carte Blanche and in Amanda Miller’s company Pretty ugly dance company in Germany, among other things. He now works as a freelance choreographer and in the Lucien Foundation.

Source: BIT Teatergarasjen, Oktoberdans 2006. From the performance program, 13.09.2010: www.bit-teatergarasjen.no

13.09.2010: http://www.bit-teatergarasjen.no/article/64

Contributors (11)
Name Role
Alan Lucien Øyen – Text
Alan Lucien Øyen – Choreography
Christian Blom – Music
Pierre Pontvianne – Music
Åsmund Færavaag – Dramaturge
Åsmund Færavaag – Stage design
Ellinor Øyen – Costume
Alan Lucien Øyen – Video/Film
Sigve Sælensminde – Lighting design
Alan Lucien Øyen – Performer
Leander Øyen – Performer
Performance dates
October 18, 2006 13:00 – Studio Bergen, Carte Blanche Show
October 17, 2006 19:30 – Studio Bergen, Carte Blanche Show
April 6, 2006BIT Teatergarasjen, Norsk Dramatikk Show
April 5, 2006BIT Teatergarasjen, Norsk Dramatikk Show
Festivals (1)
Oktoberdans October 17, 2006