Jo Stromgren Kompani /NOR/
´THE ORCHESTRA`     WORLD PREMIERE!
 


The remains of a popular music orchestra are suffering from a serious hangover somewhere deep in the Finnish woods. The lead singer has left for a solo career in the big city and all they can do is wait and hope for her return. But never-ending trains keep passing, each time sounding hollower. Money has run out, bottles are empty, and no ropes are to be found. Music has died and life in silence is no life at all. But then one train suddenly stops…
 


ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE:
Hitting rock bottom is a major turning point for most people who experience it, and essential values are often rediscovered in the miserable dirt. This performance aims to illustrate such a moment. The world of popular music is associated with superficial motives, and a regular band split-up is usually a pathetic happening. But what happens if the rupture of a superficial construction leads to a revelation of something truly existential? That music actually is vitally important to the performers? That the necessity to express something proves more important than the need to eat, sleep and have sex? The frame of popular music is not the obvious match for treating an existential topic, but it may very well be a way to pin-point some general human mechanisms. On one level, the performance seeks to give a picture of people who discover the necessity to do what they do, which is not always the case in contemporary lifestyles.
The language is a linguistic alias of Finnish, made to function as an abstract language with a clear local alibi. A pseudo-authentic game of using the storytelling tools of theatre and still keeping the associative value of other performance genres intact. This method is an established trademark of Jo Stromgren Kompani and this production follow the long line of performances with nonsensical speech based on many different languages.
The music concentrates on popular music from 1950-1970, an era where Finnish music was rich in both pathos and quality. Melodies, arrangements and lyrics understated the definition of music as something that elevated life to pompous heights. Finnish music is also a rather unknown genre internationally, probably due to the language and geographical reasons. Finland is far North, quite small, and was dangerously close to the Soviet Union in this period. A time when screaming for international attention would not be the smartest thing to do.
Some music is presented in original version, but mostly sounds and music is performed live. A capella arrangements for four voices are accompanied by a full two octave bottle orchestra, along with a similar full scale of resonant wine glasses. A set of hidden microphones secures a rich amplified sound to these rather delicate “instruments”.   
The performance involves a mix of acting, dancing, and live music. It follows the epic storytelling tradition, but stands out with its language abstraction and use of association, both in situations and visual composition. The company repertoire has proven to work across any geographical and cultural borders. 
 
 

Direction, choreography, props:  Jo Stromgren
Performers: Ulla Broch, Gunhild Aubert Opdal, Ingri Enger Damon, Hanne Gjerstad Henrichsen
Costumes: Catrine Gudmestad
Music: Finnish popular music from 1950-70
Sound design: Lars Ardal, Ken Ruben Theodorsen
Lighting design: Stephen Rolfe
Light engineers: Lise Risom Olsen, Leila Berg
Sound engineers: Ken Ruben Theodorsen, Hans Jaran Skogen
Photographer: Knut Bry
Producer: Jo Stromgren Kompani
Norwegian co-producers: Norwegian National Theatre, Bergen International Festival,
BIT Teatergarasjen, Riksteatret
Length: 65´ (without interval)
Norwegian premiere: Bergen International Festival, June 2007

Tallinn performances are supported by    

Tickets available at Piletilevi and Piletimaailm box-offices and over the internet at www.piletilevi.ee and www.piletimaailm.ee. Prices till April 13: 125.- / 190.- EEK and from April 14: 150.- / 225.- EEK.