There was a time when the family gathered around the television at weekends. Either to watch the Saturday entertainment – or, on Fridays, to watch Detective Time. This was the time before tacos became the national Friday dish or the pizza stone was ready in the oven and everyone sat with their own screen. A complete Friday evening in a Norwegian home had two central ingredients: Long pan pizza and Detektimen on TV. So let there be no shred of doubt: The Riksteatret knows very well who they are wooing when they put on “Detektimen – a crime musical”. He is as close as a heralded success. MURDER ON THE KIEL FERRY: Captain Ragnhild Borg (Marit Adeleide Andreassen) must deal with both retired investigators and mysterious murders on the leap year ferry between Oslo and Kiel. Photo: Erik Berg The people only want Høyr: The former inspector Stephan Reckyll (Øystein Røger) has been with his good friend Horst Tappert (self-confessed Derrick, yes) on Hamarøy and fishing. Now he will take the Kiel ferry home to Germany. No sooner has he boarded the ship than the big nightclub star on the boat, Nora der Liebe (Silje Lundblad), dies. There is talk of a murder, and Reckyll takes the case. Everything is set for another success for the musical trio Mads Bones, Kyrre Havdal and Olve Løseth. They can look back on successes such as “The Battle of Testiklestad”, “Robin Hood – Rai rai i Sherwoodskogen”, “Tordenskiold – alle tiders trønder” and “Juleevangeliet – The Smash Hit Musical”. The trio knows what people want. So now they have created a vision that is basically as popular as few: A Derrick copy of an investigator, a secret nightclub full of secrets and vignette melodies from well-known detectives up and down (Derrick and Poirot, for example) – on a eponymous ferry. Add funny puns, solid popular music craftsmanship, solid modulations and solid lead roles in Marit Adeleide Andreassen and Øystein Røger, and most things are in the box. But still it lags a bit. THE CREW: Not weekday fare with murder on the Kiel ferry. Some of those on board, from left: Silje Lundblad, Daniel Mauricio, Patrick Hilmar Ingvaldsen (back), Olve Løseth (front), Marit Adeleide Andreassen and Nora Frølich Photo: Erik Berg Speak at the start Because there is something about the integrity of the ensemble, a slightly uneven performer level that gives the feeling that it hasn’t quite come together for the premiere. Some of the supporting characters seem to be underdeveloped, they are more interesting in the theater program than they are on stage. Others may have a bit too much baggage, there are a lot of details to get hung up on. All in all, there is a lot of information about the various people who have to appear in the first part so that I, the audience and the investigator can form an impression of the motive for the misdeeds of the various people on the boat. Despite the good song numbers, the musical falters at the start. It’s only right before the break that he really picks up speed – then all a lot of information is presented, and the melodically catchy number “Who has done it?” sends the audience singing out into the foyer as they discuss who the killer might be. And when the captain (Andreassen) gets to break out into an elegant up-tempo song in the second part, things really start to turn. THE MYSTERY: Kiel Ferga’s big nightclub star Nora der Liebe is murdered. Who has done it? Photo: Erik Berg Luxury and secrecy What has been said: After the break, director and screenwriter Mads Bones brings up a move that the theater can do so well: Jump in time and space. When all the suspects are gathered and the investigator deals with them, one by one, the theater can rewind time and play out the various scenes. A look into where no one really knows what happened – much more fun and effective than when you see it as a flashback on a screen. Bones uses the grip for all it’s worth, and it works. “The detective time – a crime musical” is like a detective time, best when it closes. The solution to the murder mystery is clever in true detective time fashion. Could it be that the National Theater was only traveling in crime? After the children’s theater detective success “Operation Theater”, they now launched the Kiel ferry to the country and allow adults all over the country to reminisce about the 80s in a scenography that nails the feeling of luxury and secrecy. Although the start may be on shaky ground, there is a lot to enjoy in this criminally popular musical. Theater critic Karen Frøsland Nystøyl tells about the performance “Detektimen – a criminal musical” at the Riksteateret, which is on tour in Norway this autumn. Promotional video for the show. Video: Riksteateret news announces Title: “Detektimen – a crime musical” By: Mads Bones, Kyrre Havdal and Olve Løseth based on an idea by Øystein Røger Premiere: Riksteatret, 24 August 2023 Tour premiere: Namsos, 30 August 2023 Produced by: Riksteatret i collaboration with Nye Hjorten Teater and the National Theater With: Øystein Røger, Nora Frølich, Emil Olafsson, Marit Adeleide Andreassen, Silje Lundblad, Patrick Hilmar Ingvaldsen, Daniel Mauricio, Olve Løseth Director: Mads Bones Scenographer: Katja Ebbel Costume designer: Christina Lovery Lighting designer: Clement Irbil Sound designer: Morten Haug Serigstad Composer/musician: Kyrre Havdal Choreographer: Martha Standal Playwright: Siri Løkholm Ramberg Producer: Anita Basmo Bjørnstad
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“Detektimen – a crime musical” at Riksteatret – Reviews and recommendations
