Peer Gynt

Peer Gynt as puppet theatre at markets and town squares for the entertainment of the common man: Sacrilege or serious interpretation in the spirit of the poet?
Unlike almost every other European country, Norway has no tradition for street puppet theatre. 
Denmark, Germany and Sweden have so called Kasperteater, England has its Punch, the Netherlands have Jan Klaassen, Germany has its Hanswurst etc. 
Allegedly the tradition started in Greece more than 2000 years ago, and since then the form has kept both its function as a social critic, and its popular hero.
For everyone from 10 years.

Norway may not have a Punch, but Norway has Peer Gynt:
Ibsen’s hero is clearly related to those mentioned above: Rootless, weak-willed, self-centred, a compulsive liar, a seducer. Even the dramaturgy of PEER GYNT has many similarities with Kasper-theatre. Criticism of contemporary society is also well taken care of by Ibsen. The only problem is that Ibsen loves text too much. This makes the play unsuited for street theatre, and yet …

Our version coveys the content by using images, the proverbs and other significant text elements. The material is immersed when the puppets are – true to tradition – in direct dialogue with the puppeteers and with their audience.

Ibsen himself started his theatre career by creating puppetry plays at home on Venstøp farm, so we do feel we’re in good company.

Peer Gynt has so far been played around 200 times.

Periodically our PEER is deflated. But when requests pop in, he shows up, just as rude and Gyntsk as before. A funny, sharp and visual performance for two actors and a large gallery of puppets.

PEER has also toured in primary and secondary schools. Periodically, there has been feedback from the audience saying the show made them want to read the original script. And that’s not bad at all.

PEER has been a guest performance at various festivals in Norway, France, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium and Burkina Faso. Performed in Norwegian, English and in a mix of Norwegian-French and Norwegian-Dutch.

The show can be played both in- and outdoors.
Reviews have invariably been brilliant.
Offered in Norwegian, Scandinavian, Dutch, English or French.

Created by

Performed by

With

Performed by Karl Markus Reinert and Jaap den Hertog

  • script: Henrik Ibsen/ Gösta Kjellin
  • stage direction: Harry Guttormsen
  • set design and construction: Gunnar Fretheim
  • music: Frode Fjellheim
  • puppeteers: Ole Bruun-Rasmussen, Jaap den Hertog
  • puppets: Jaap den Hertog
  • produced at Nordland Dukketeaterverksted
  • additional props: Grete Larsen, Ole Bruun-Rasmussen

 

Gösta Kjellin was a professor of nordic literature at the University of Helsinki. One of Scandinavias leading playwrights for puppetry, stage director and co-founder of the puppetry troupe Nukketeatteri Vihreä Omena (Gröna Äpplet).

Harry Guttormsen; renowned stage director, has also a career in leading important Norwegian theatrical institutions.

Frode Fjellheim; composer, pianist, singer. komponist, pianist, sanger. Known for his bands Jazz Joik, Transjoik,  Tango Concertino. Composed the theme-songs for Disneys Frost-films.

Gunnar Fretheim; set designer, visual artist, kite constructor. Engagements for Trøndelag Teater, Kristiansund Opera, Trønderoperaen, Cirka Teater, Teater Vito, Britannia Hotel, teaches at the Institute of media sciences, NTNU ( the university of Trondheim) and much more.

Karl Markus Reinert; actor-puppeteer in 5 different productions for Teater Fusentast since 1997, financial advisor at DNB bank.

Jaap den Hertog; puppeteer, puppet maker, conceptual design for puppetry, founder and director of Teater Fusentast, General practitioner of medicine.

Nordland Dukketeaterverksted at Stamsund, Lofoten, later renamed Figurteateret i Nordland. Peer Gynt is its longest running production this far.

Grete Larssen; puppet maker for many Norwegian puppet theaters. Her career startet when she happened  to peek intoNordland Dukketeaterverksted during Peer Gynt rehearsals, and immediately produced a camel, an ostrich, a newspaper and illustrations for us.

Ole Bruun- Rasmussen; Danish puppeteer, puppetry stage designer - stage director, author of handbooks for puppetry, play and design. puppet maker and jeweler. Was one of the "greats" during the golden age of Scandinavian puppetry in the 1970-s.

Runi Langum; Visual artist, exhibitions over the whole of Norway, with lithographies, charcoal drawings, often in large formats. Has done many official adornments of official buildings and locations together with her partner Hans Martin Øien. 

Technical information

We need:

  • acting space of minimum 4 x 6 x 3 meters (DxWxH), or at a sheltered spot outdoors in nice weather
  • 1 electrical outlet 16 amp. (240V) in daylight outdoors, or 2 outlets 16 amp (240V) when performing indoors
  • we bring our own lighting and sound equipment, but can use the venues own equipment if that is more practical / preferable.
  • access to venue minimum 3 hours in advance, 1,5 hours after the performance

We give:

  • a show of 1 hour and 6 minutes duration
  • for an audience of 150 - 250 (depending on circumstances, but have played for 400 at special occasions)
  • if so desired we can take part in educational activities about Ibsen, Peer Gynt and / or puppetry in general.

Target audiences:

  • general public in open places, school pupils from 12 years up and teachers, adolescents and adults.

For organizers

  • Newspaper "L'Ardennais" in Charleville-Mézières during World Puppetry Festival, 1994:  La surprise des Norvégiens. /The Norwegian surprise. "The piece is so insane, that one just has to surrender and keep laughing - which is quite a compliment in itself".
  • Newspaper "Lofotposten", Stamsund after opening night, 1992: Circus Peer Gynt. " . . . a milestone in Norwegian puppetry." ( . . . ) "From their tiny street puppet booth they create a rich universe, so lush and burlesque as to leave one speechless."  ( . . . .) "The two performers, together with experienced stage director Harry Guttormsen have produced a puppetry performance I do not hesitate to proclaim one of the most daring and best I have ever seen."  ( . . .) 
  • Newspaper "Adresseavisen", Trondheim, 2006. Burlesque Peer Gynt.

    "Brilliant performance, very funny" is what British Judith and Rod Claugh say . . ."

  • ANewspaper "Telemarksavisa", Skien, 2000: Engaging puppet theatre "Humor, satire, symbolism and associative wordplay make up the ingredients in a castigating spotlight on our times".