Martin Lepperød has been one of Norway’s most popular comedians for nearly 10 years and has managed to become a driven and skilled stand-up performer through countless hours on stage. In recent years, he has also gained even more wind in his sails through several P3 programs, including “Karakter” and “Dynga” in a team of three with Jonis Josef and Henrik Farley. Big stage Now Lepperød presents the solo show “Cockroach” on tour throughout Norway. He wants to find out if he is just a nuisance pest, or if he is going to leave behind something of value to society when he passes away. But can a pest fill one of the biggest stages in Oslo? It was not long ago that world star Jimmy Carr visited the same stage. That a Norwegian comedian can sell 1,000 tickets per night says a lot about Lepperød’s position with the people. Innovative Lepperød’s popularity can partly be attributed to his painstakingly built character: He is the loyal, good-natured and irrepressibly funny friend everyone has in their group of friends. He who happily puts his own head on the chopping block to make the others laugh, completely devoid of shame. Nasoddingen’s wild and uncensored rants have gone viral more than once. In “Kakerlakk”, Lepperød shows that he has full control over his own comic brand. After a warm-up from his good colleagues Henrik Farley and Jonis Josef, the evening’s main character hits the bucket straight into what he knows the audience wants: a bland and uncomplicated clumsiness, completely devoid of intellectually admonishing content – a typical clown, if you will. During the first few minutes, it becomes even clearer what is Martin’s greatest strength: originality. Where many other comedians have to struggle to find innovative observations and accurate points without it seeming contrived, Lepperød’s streams of thought appear one hundred percent genuine and reliable. The format in the text naturally also contributes, because here there are not many worn-out stand-up moves to trace. The jokes come close, but are never set up in the traditional sense, they are rather like resting punchlines in the long, elaborate stories from Lepperød’s life. When he starts with a story about buying a bucket, you know what’s going to happen: Here we gather around the campfire and let that cow-co uncle run the show. IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Martin Lepperød on stage during Gullruten 2022. Photo: Eivind Senneset / TV 2 Master’s degree in humor Although Martin Lepperød is based on currents of thought, all the different story structures seem carefully planned and choreographed. It is an incomparably impressive exercise to master – knowing where a word should be, where a tap should be and what it takes to make the apparently improvised delivery effortless and believable. A story about a trip to the Alps where Lepperød is unexpectedly given responsibility for a strange child, is painted with the master’s brush and is the evening’s best example of a dramaturgical understanding that many other comedians struggle to achieve. Certain flaws There are things to poke at, such as a slightly excessive use of “callback”, i.e. retrieving a joke from earlier in the performance. The trickster with the master’s letter knows that it brings a guaranteed round of applause. Nothing wrong with wanting to lift the mood a bit, but here you could have run an extra round with the strainer. Some things also compromise Lepperød’s apparently improvised approach to the text, for example it is quite clear that some of the digressions are constructed. It’s a common move in standup, to fall into a sort of unintentionally crude formulation or to “accidentally” say the wrong word. A good example is when Lepperød is going to tell about his brother’s new baby, but instead uses the “crazy” word “fresh baby”. It allows for a digression that “fresh” was the wrong word to use, but adds nothing to what turns out to be a brilliantly told story of baby waterboarding. A digression works best when it is allowed to sail off without chains, and perhaps even too far. But most importantly: It must be real. Perfect Anyway, these are things you can easily forgive when the whole is so strong. Ole Soo has been allowed to excel in the director’s chair, and although it is probably many people’s nightmares to direct and control the cheerleader Martin Lepperød, Soo has added a structure and dramaturgy that makes “Kakerlakk” easy to follow – even with the high density of jokes and chaotic energy. “Cockroach” is a show that is sure to hit the heart of people who like Martin Lepperød’s humor. It seems to be extremely many. It is creative and charming, well formulated and brilliantly delivered from Lepperød’s mouth. Even though he has been doing it for a few years now, I still hope that stand-up in Norway can continue in this vein. You’re not a cockroach, Martin. news reviews Title: “Cockroach” By and with: Martin Lepperød Location: Sentrum Scene, Oslo, 2 March 2023. Also to be played at Lillehammer, in Kristiansand, Stavanger, Moss, Bergen, Haugesund, Trondheim, Tromsø, Arendal and Ålesund. Director: Ole Soo news informs: Martin Lepperød and Espen Borge are both freelancers who deliver content on assignment for news to various departments. They have no contact with each other at news and have no personal relationship with each other in private.
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“Cockroach” by Martin Lepperød – news Culture and entertainment
