Artistic ambitions in theatre for children

Artistic ambitions in theatre for children was a seminar in Dramatikkens hus, arranged by Østfold Theatre and Dramatikkens hus. The seminar went over two days and was about theatre for children.

The seminar was held in Norwegian under its Norwegian title Kunstneriske ambisjoner i teater for barn, but in the following text all titles have been translated for the benefit of English-language readers.

Artistic ambitions in theatre for children wanted to identify the challenges for the playwrights who want to write for children, and to illuminate these from different points of view: The perspective of children, children’s perception and the artistic ambitions of the theatres in productions for children. The seminar discussed different methods for writing and staging.

Information

(Objekt ID 8255)
Object type Production
Coproducers Norwegian Centre for New Playwriting (NCNP), Performing Arts Østfold
Audience Adults
Number of events 2
Language Norwegian and Swedish
Keywords Seminar, Dialogue seminar
Running period Navember 27, 2010  —  Navember 28, 2010
Website Dramatikkens hus, Østfold Teater

Requirements to venue

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The lectures during Artistic ambitions in theatre for children in Dramatikkens hus was held by Swedish and Norwegian playwrights, directors and researchers. Beyond this, the seminar consisted of group discussions after given issues.

Program, Saturday November 27 2010:

Erik Uddenberg: About artistic ambition in theatre for children: Erik Uddenberg talked about artistic ambitions in theatre for children and about research as part of the artistic process.

Faith Guss: Theatre for children as performative dialogue: Examining play with form and meaning(s): In her doctorate thesis Faith Gabrielle Guss examined and mapped fundamental similarities in workshop processes leading to performing texts in the performance collectives Forced Entertainment & Wooster Group and corresponding processes in the spontaneous dramatic imaginative play of children. Based on this insight, Guss exemplified possible approaches to creating stage texts for children aged 3-7 years.

Nina Wester: Can an adult write the perspective of a child?: Nina Wester talked about her experiences in writing and directing theatre for children with basis in three productions she made in Sweden. What does it mean to write from the perspective of a child and is it possible for an adult to do this? How can we use playing as a motor for dramaturgy, and in which ways can active research methods be determining of the work process?

Program, Sunday November 28 2010:

The production Straff og belønning (literally: Punishment and Reward): Text and direction by Toril Solvang. The production was made in collaboration between Dramatikkens hus, Seanse Centre for Art Production in Volda and Østfold Theatre, and during the seminar, this was followed by a conversation between Toril Solvang and the actors, after a short speech by Toril Solvang.

Lise Hovik: At the edge of drama: Lise Hovik talked about The Red Shoes as an art project and a research project. In examining what constitutes a good art experience for the very youngest she moved away from the traditional performing arts expressions towards an installation-near expression in which objects, playing and improvisation with movement and music were emphasised.

Source: Dramatikkens hus, dramatikkenshus.no, 04.11.2010, http://dramatikkenshus.no/pub/dramatikkenshus/Innhold/Kalender/?aid=1156&cid=768#dramatikkenshus

Contributors (8)
Name Role
Toril Solvang – Text
Toril Solvang – Direction
Lisa Marie Nagel – Project manager
Toril Solvang – Project manager
Faith Gabrielle Guss – Researcher
Lise Hovik – Researcher
Erik Uddenberg – Other
Nina Wester – Other
Performance dates