In the sixth version of “The Ship” De Utvalgte is inspired by the story of King Christian VII, his personal doctor, Johann Struensee, and Queen Mathilde. After a masquerade at the theatre Struensee is captured and later sentenced to death for “Lèse-majesté” (means “to do wrong to majesty”, which is an offence against the dignity of a reigning sovereign or against a state.
De Utvalgtes ongoing performance serie “The Ship” has landed at Malérgues in France, a forrest on the coast of Western Norway, a housing block in Nuuk, – Greenland, Black Box teater in Oslo, the island of Terschelling in the Netherlands, and the Oslo Fjords respons to the Grand Canyon. The Ship and the journey can represent new lands and the quest for survival. With Hubris as a turning point, – a crew of musicians, actors and performers travels through fragments of reality and myths.
The piece is created in collaboration with the unique character of the place and the music is performed live.
The press says:
“This was the week Selected Works was held in Copenhagen. The level of ambition was high as they opened with the Norwegian performance “The Ship vol.6″, a visual cornucopia of color-saturated visuals, where they let flesh-colored lava flow down the walls of The Court Theatre, while perverted and politically twisted characters offered themselves as King Christian VII and Queen Caroline Mathilde, trying out power games and audience confrontation to the sound of Jørgen Leth and Suzanne Brøgger’s talk about temptations and freedom. Here was really artistic juice and power that could probably have called on a column or two in the big media, offering the audience performing arts they rarely can experience in the big theatres.” – IScene