Description
This project aims to enhance cultural dialogue and strengthen European identity by introducing the modern Norwegian drama with strong social aspects to the Czech audience. Popular Norwegian author Jasper Halle and his play Lilleskogen (Small Forest), a serious drama focusing on sexual abuse of children will be translated, performed and staged in the Czech Republic by the dramatic ensemble of the National Moravian/Silesian Theatre. Jasper Halle`s text has a high quality esthetical value and it gives numerous possibilities for a very interesting directorial and dramatic interpretation. The main part of the project is focused on the production, staging and subsequently the introduction of the play. The staging will be led by Norwegian director Victoria Meirik and the author himself, Jasper Halle, will be assisting the whole production of the play. Additionally, staging will be created by a Norwegian stage designer. The project also supports many other accompanying side activities involving workshops, authorship reading, discussions and lectures on Norwegian history of literature. Jasper Halle and his texts are not very well known among the Czech audience. The production and the subsequent introduction of the play will be a distinctive dramaturgic action. First of all, it will be a revelation of the Norwegian dramatic art and secondly, it will draw the attention to a very serious yet not very discussed topic of sexual abuse of children. An audio-visual document reflecting the whole period and results of the project will be created.
Summary of project results
The main objective of the project was to enhance cultural dialogue and strengthen European identity by introducing the modern Norwegian drama with strong social aspects to the Czech audience. In the initial phase the first translation of the original play Lilleskogen from the Norwegian author Jasper Halle into the Czech language by the translator Jaroslav Vrbová was created. The preparation of the performance consisted of an intensive collaboration of dramaturgist, director, stage designer, costume designer and music composer. The premiere of the production took place on 5th November 2015 in the Antonín Dvořák Theater in the presence of the most prominent personalities of the Czech theater scene, 14 rerunds followed. A rich accompanying programme - lectures, discussions (including the debate with the author of the drama Jasper Halle), workshops - aimed at introducing Norwegian literature, drama, translations, film or history to the Czech audience, was carried out. A document reflecting the project implementation was created and prepared by students of The Institute of Creative Photography at the Silesian University in Opava. The project had an insurmountable contribution in several areas. The first translation of the play by Jesper Halle Lilleskogen could be used for staging by other theaters. And thanks to the accompanying programme, hundreds of visitors to each event had the opportunity to learn about Norwegian film, literature, translations and drama. Two additional initiatives were carried out - introducing the play on the stage of the National Norwegian Theatre in Oslo and the presentation of the production at the World Book Festival in Prague.
Summary of bilateral results
The project had one partner from the donor states - the Norwegian director Victoria Meirik. Victoria Meirik was actively involved in the project from the very beginning. Throughout the production stage, she lived in Ostrava for several months. Also the author of the original play Lilleskogen (Norwegian Forest) - Jasper Halle had been assisting the whole production of the play and additionally, the staging was created by a Norwegian stage designer Olav Myrtvedt. There was a very intense intertwining of cultures and beyond the working relationships, this long-term stay of a Norwegian partner had also caused many friendships. The bilateral cooperation had the greatest benefit for the The National Moravian-Silesian Theatre drama ensemble. The members of the ensemble had the first opportunity to meet a foreign creative team (outside the Slovak Republic). This experience had become a real life experience, enriched the actors experience and developed and evaluated the so far achieved qualities of their artistic performance. Further cooperation with the partner is planned.