Dear Europe
Dear Europe (2016) was a documentary theatre production by the performing arts duo Kristian & Uwe, in collaboration with The National Stage, Bergen International Festival and Dramatikkens hus. The world premiere took place at DNS Lille Scene during Bergen International Festival 2016.
The starting point for the production is how Europe meets the current refugee crisis. The text has been developed by Kristian Lykkeslet Strømskag, Christian Lollike and Uwe Cramer in collaboration with the actors Ellen Birgitte Winther, Morten Espeland and Siren Jørgensen.
Uwe Cramer was the director.
The project is not identical to Festning Europa* (Fortress Europe), in which Strømskag and Cramer collaborate with The Norwegian Theatre.
*Not yet translated into the English. The title within parentheses is the Norwegian title's literal meaning.
Information
(Objekt ID 54263)| Object type | Production |
| Premiere | June 6, 2016 |
| Produced by | |
| In collaboration with | Norwegian Centre for New Playwriting (NCNP), Bergen International Festival, The National Stage |
| Language | Norwegian |
| Keywords | Theatre, Documentary |
| Running period | June 6, 2016 |
"60 million people seeking refuge in the world today. 700.000 refugees crossed the Mediterranean in 2015. 26.000 have drowned since the year 2000. 4000 drowned in 2015.
The production starts with three Norwegians who, from the comfort of their sofas try to envisage the plight of refugees. Charon sells cut-price tickets and fills every inch of his boat for the journey over the Styx.
The president of the EU commission doesn't know how to cope with the increase in nationalism or the stream of refugees over the borders. A professor can only partially explain the background for the war in Syria. The Prime Minister starts to doubt the message in his own new year's speech and really just wants to scream in frustration. The texts are written specifically for this world premiere and are based on research, interviews, fiction and reality.
Dear Europa is not a traditional production. Director Uwe Cramer encourages the actors use their own lives in an effort to understand the crisis in the Mediterranean. Reality replaces fiction. This is the situation in Europe just now and the world invades the theatre."
SOURCE:
Bergen International Festival, 07.04.16, http://www.fib.no/en/Programme/?TLp=1086151
**Slightly altered by Lillian Bikset for Sceneweb, for the sake of consistency between Norwegian and English texts in the database. The original text can be read by following the link http://www.fib.no/en/Programme/?TLp=1086151
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Uwe Cramer | – Text |
| Christian Lollike | – Text |
| Kristian Lykkeslet Strømskag | – Text |
| Uwe Cramer | – Direction |
| Morten Espeland | – Actor |
| Siren Jørgensen | – Actor |
| Ellen Birgitte Winther | – Actor |
| September 2016 (Teaterfestivalen i Fjaler ) | Show |
| June 8, 2016 19:30 – Lille Scene, The National Stage (Bergen International Festival) | Show |
| June 7, 2016 19:30 – Lille Scene, The National Stage (Bergen International Festival) | Show |
| June 6, 2016 19:30 – Lille Scene, The National Stage (Bergen International Festival) | Worldwide premiere |
| Teaterfestivalen i Fjaler | September 2016 |
| Bergen International Festival | June 6, 2016 |