Ibsen International short text challenge - presentation of the texts

Please note that titles are translated preliminary only - final title will be courtesy of each translator.
The text that is paired with each Norwegian is in brackets, including name og partner theatre to be presenting these two texts in 2006.
If any one theatre wishes to present additional texts you are very welcome, but any translation costs as well as agreement with the writer needs to be dealt with by the presenting partner.

Jon Fosse FREEDOM (COME FREEDOM, COME by Smith Likongwe, Nanzikambe theatre, Malawi)

The Woman wants The Man back. She thought she lost her freedom through the attachment of love, but discovers the opposite.
A poetic and sensitive text dealing with the visible and invisble bindings between humans.

Characters: The Woman, The Man and The other Woman
Scene: The entrance door

Gro Dahle THE CHAIR (INTERVALO by José Maria Vieira Mendes, Artistas Unidos, Portugal)

Marion and Dag Halvor has closed the door and pulled the curtains. Bastiansen is about to come and fetch Dag Halvor. But Marion will not give up without a fight, and has ordered their perfect defense weapon.
An absurd and funny text about two individuals fight for their shared freedom.

Characters: Marion, Dag Halvor and Bastiansen
Scene: A front room

Lisa B Lie RED, SNOW AND THE WOLF (WATER by Sheila Callaghan, New Georges theatre/Oslo elsewhere, USA)

Following a car accident Red comes walking along the roadside.
Lisa B Lie´s text, subtitled "an adventorous splatter", is a magic scenic poem through the unreliable memories of Red on her journey towards death as the final expression of freedom.

Characters: Red, Snow and The Wolf
Scene: A roadside, heaven, somewhere

Marit Tusvik TITLE (PICNIC by Vida Ognjenovic, Serbias National Theatre, Serbia)

Liv has invited Jan for a romantic dinner for two.
Through subtle comedy and a knowledge of human nature Tusvik´s text explores the dilemmas of freedom in close relationships.

Characters: Liv, Jan and The Waiter
Scene: A restaurant table

Arne Lygre HURT (THE LANGUAGE OF FREEDOM by Claus Beck-Nilsen (1963-2001), Ålborg teater, Denmark)

The Girl is let out of isolation. The Houseowner and Nina offers her freedom, but he price is high. Lygres text questions the interface of freedom and terror, when freedom is taken away with the best of intentions.

Characters: The Girl, The Houseowner and Nina
Scene: A room

Finn Iunker PREPARATION FOR HADES ("13 23" - an animation film by Anouk&Adrien, Poland)

The poisoned Alexander the Great is dictating a speech to his secretary, revealing Aristotle as a great deceiver.

Characters: Eumenes and Alexander the Great
Scene: Somewhere

Wetle Holtan THE HUNTERS (THE GLOAMING by Zinnie Harris, Traverse theatre, Scotland)

The Hunters is inspired by Danil Kharms text of the same title.
Six hunters went hunting, only two return alive. What happened to the other four, and what is fuelling the two still left?
A scenic fable that asks if freedom is perhaps just another word.

Characters: Kozlov and Oknov
Scene: The woods

Gyrid Axe Øvsteng EVASION (text by Katya Sadur, Centre for Contemporary Drama and Staging, Russia)

Mo is in, Hansen is out and sometimes in. Who has the keys to the door?
Øvsteng´s text is both playful and poetic and centres on what may happen when two people redefine their ideas of freedom.

Characters: Mo and Hansen
Scene: A space with a door

Jesper Halle AFTERNOON OF THE HUSSARS (THE TESTAMENT by Guo Shixing, Lin Zhaohua Drama Studio, China)

One young and one older hussar enjoy a glass of wine. Like kings they can do whatever they desire, and the older man encourages the younger to make use of the victor´s privileges.
The consequences of grabbing the absolute freedom is the focal point of Halle´s text.

Characters: Lendum, Landgraff and The Owner of the inn
Scene: A table outside an inn

José Maria Vieira Mendes (Portugal) - INTERVALO

Two political opponents have met for an election duel in a TV studio. The journalist tries to keep the contestants in check. The situation becomes increasingly absurd as advertising breaks come and go. "The carnation revolution" in 1974 ended 40 years of dictatorship in Portugal, and the most commonly used word in the street was Freedom. 30 years have sinced passed and what happened to freedom and democracy?
A poetic, nostalgic and comic text dealing with the decline of democracy.

Characters: Man 1, Man 2 and The Woman
Scene: a TV studio with audience

Sheila Callaghan (USA) - WATER

Chloe is sitting on a roof watching the water flowing by in the street below. A body floats by wearing a shirt she recognizes. Frida and Bryce are drinking increasing amounts of water as they plan to get married.
A two-part text about life, death and the limits of freedom in the USA today.

Characters: Chloe, Frida and Bryce
Scene: a roof, a front room

Vida Ognjenovic (Serbia) - PICNIC

Somewhere in the States, Grace and Kenneth have invited their new Serbian neighbours for a picnic. During the preparation for the outing, Kenneth changes his mind and no longer wants to go.
A play in which Ibsen´s thoughts on freedom suddenly challenges what is politically correct.

Characters: Grace and Kenneth
Scene: a front room

Zinnie Harris (UK) - THE GLOAMING

At dusk Meg and Matt finds a barn in the middle of nowhere. On their way to register in Aberdeen, they have spent days and nights wandering in a country where light is now forbidden. They find a box with candles and matches. A dead man lies hidden in the hay.
A scenic fantasy about lighting or not lighting a candle, being seen or not beeing seen, to see or not to see in a society where there seems to be shortage of everything.

Characters: Meg and Matt
Scene: dusk somewhere

Guo Shixing (China) - THE TESTAMENT

The Son is at his dying Old man´s bedside. He tries to get his father, who is a walthy man, to write his testament. The Old man refuses to do so until he has met again with the love of his youth, and tells his son to find her.
A text about a change of regime, where the materialistic society takes over from one in which individual freedom has been the ruling virtue.

Characters: The Old man, The Son and The Woman
Scene: The balcony of a room at a spa by the sea

Smith Likongwe (Malawi) - COME FREEDOM, COME

Ngozi prepares for his parlamentary breakthrough. Outside are his voters, demanding he speaks up for them and their cause.
A comedy about freedom and uprising, both privately and politically.

Characters: Ngozi, Chifundo and Ufulu (and Freedom and the Icon)
Scene: A front room

Katya Sadur (Russia) - SALT

Play under development.

Anouk&Adrien (Poland) - 13 23

A short animation film by two exciting young artists working in Gdansk. See separate presentation.