VOLUME 7
Legacy: For the Chosen Ones or for all?
WITH ELDERS OF ODIN TEATERT, GOB SQUAD, GRENLAND FRITEATER AND DE UTVALGTE
Invited artists elders of Odin teatret, Grenland Friteater, Verdens Teatret, De Utvalgte and Gob Squad
Gob Squad is a UK and German artist collective, founded in Nottingham in 1994 and now based in Berlin. The seven core members collaborate on creating performances and videos that explore the intersection of theater, art, media, and real life. Their work, often set in urban environments like streets, shops, and car parks, captures the collision of everyday life and magic, banality and utopia. Gob Squad frequently involves local participants, aiming to transcend barriers of language, class, age, and culture. Their work is showcased across Europe and has toured globally, except Antarctica.
Verdensteatret, an Oslo-based artist collective founded in 1986 by Lisbeth J. Bodd and Asle Nilsen, blends theater, visual art, and technology to create intricate audiovisual experiences. The group, composed of video and sound artists, painters, poets, sculptors, and programmers, develops large-scale productions from raw materials and stories gathered during their travels. Their work, characterized by long-term development and experimentation across various media, results in orchestral and spatial compositions. Verdensteatret's creations have been showcased internationally in museums, music festivals, and theaters, supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Culture and other art foundations.
Grenland Friteater, founded in 1976 by Trond Hannemyr, Tor Arne Ursin, and Lars Vik, is one of Norway's oldest independent theater groups, based in Porsgrunn. The group consists of 12 core members and numerous freelancers, totaling around 25 full-time positions. Their aim is not only to create innovative, entertaining, and thought-provoking performances but also to develop a new theater culture in rural Norway that is relevant, communicative, and challenging. Rooted in a tradition of European theater experimentation, Grenland Friteater seeks to transcend linguistic and cultural barriers. The group is supported by various Norwegian cultural institutions.
De Utvalgte is a theater company founded in Oslo in 1994 by graduates of the Nordic School of Theatre in Denmark. The group, composed of Kari Holtan, Boya Bøckman, Torbjørn Davidsen, and Anne Holtan, collaborates with other artists as needed. Specializing in contemporary theater, De Utvalgte blends theater, visual art, and performance, using innovative self-made instruments like video, text, sound, and music. They are pioneers in using 3D film scenography and narratives in theater. Their performances often feature a mix of professional and amateur actors, adding depth to their exploration of roles, identities, and authenticity. The company received Norwegian Arts Council base funding in 2014.
Odin Teatret, founded in Oslo in 1964 and relocated to Holstebro, Denmark, in 1966, is a renowned theater group that became Nordisk Teaterlaboratorium/Odin Teatret. In December 2022, the company resumed its independent activities. Odin Teatret's work includes performances in Denmark and abroad, cultural initiatives, theater workshops, publications, and research through the International School of Theatre Anthropology (ISTA). The group has created 81 performances under Eugenio Barba, performed in 65 countries, and developed a unique culture centered on cultural diversity and the practice of "barter," where actors and local communities exchange artistic expressions.
The evening was an invitation for elders of various groups to sit together, reflect on their legacy as experimental theatre-makers of Europe. A hot soup was served. Watch the evening unfold below.
