Today is my birthday
Today is my Birthday by Scenekompagniet had its Norway premiere in The Open Theatre (Det Åpne Teater) the spring of 2001: Six persons are gathered to celebrate their own birthdays. The day when they can demand to be the centre of attention. The problem is just that they all want to be at the centre of attention at the same time!
Information
(Objekt ID 8469)| Object type | Production |
| Premiere | February 28, 2001 |
| Produced by | Scenekompagniet |
| In collaboration with | The Open Theatre (Det Åpne Teater) |
| Audience | Adults, Youth |
| Language | Danish |
| Keywords | Multimedia, Theatre, Dance, Dance theatre, Video, Music, Physical theatre, Multidisciplinary, Post-dramatic theatre, Storytelling theatre |
| Running period | October 20, 2000 |
| Website | Det Åpne Teater, Joanna Magierecka |
Requirements to venue
| Blackout | No |
Today is my Birthday by Scenekompagniet used narrative techniques from computer games and Scenekompagniet played with identities, life styles and trends, asking: How do we want others to see us? How do they actually see us? Today is my Birthday was directed by Kjetil Sandvik and Carl Jørn Johansen.
In the production Today is my Birthday texts by Laurie Anderson, T.S. Høeg, Manic Street Preachers and Finn Skårerud were used, as was music by Nick Cave.
Today is my Birthday by the Danish company Scenekompagniet was supported by The Danish Arts Agency (DK), Arts Council Norway, the development fund of the municipality of Aarhus called Århus Kommunes Vækstlagspulje, AugustinusFonden plus Johanne og Ejnar Bundegaards Fond.
Sources:
Faculty of Humanities, Aarhus University, humaniora.au.dk, 08.11.2010, http://www.hum.au.dk/nyheder/arkiv/uni-liv/31scene.htm
Joanna Magierecka, magierecka.com, 08.11.2010, http://www.magierecka.com/s_forestillinger.htm
Teaternett, teaternett.no, 08.11.2010, http://www.teaternett.no/aktuelt/meldinger/2001/0219-01012.htm
The Open Theatre (Det Åpne Teater), Archive, program letter for Today is my Birthday
| February 28, 2001 – Hallen, The Open Theatre (Det Åpne Teater) | National premiere, Norway |
John Christiansen. Review titled Hvordan skal jeg være? (literally: How should I be?) Scenekunst 2000:
"Hence, Today is my Birthday is a compiled form of theatre, in which many small streams make a river. The texts, narrated by the two instructors Carl Jørn Johansen and Kjetil Sandvik, keep the flow going. They testify on the human need to stage onseself and to be part of a role play – into the point of death (by suicide). [...] It’s a searching, experimental performance made by young persons and probably most for young persons, but it is still so well-made we others may also be captured by it, after a silly and dubious start."
IdaLou Larsen (2000, 02.03). Review titled Gjennomført multimediateater (literally: Thorough multimedia theatre). Nationen:
"Younger people who are far more confident in today’s forms of expression are less dependent of the words and probably master a multitude of codes which are escaping me. Because of this I simply had great difficulties understanding what Today is my Birthday was really about and the connection to Finn Skårderud’s Unrest passed me by. Towards the end it was as if the performance suddenly opened. But by then, there had been too much idling time for me."