The myth of the seducer Don Juan is several hundred years old. The story about him has been told in many editions, one of which belongs to the French playwright Molière. At Trøndelag Theatre, director Ole Johan Skjelbred has created a kind of Don Juan mashup, a mixture of different texts about sex, desire and power. This is where Trond Giske comes in. More about him later. But what happens to Don Juan after #metoo? Well, the type still exists. The desire still exists. From being a text originally written for deterrence (it worked relatively poorly), in his version Molière wanted to highlight the strategies of powerful people. Director Skjelbred himself has stated that in a commercial world where everything is for sale, seduction strategies are key. THE SEDUCER: Don Juan, the skirt hunter in a skirt (Jo Saberniak), seduces most people he comes across. Here the fisherman Angelot (Christian Eidem). Angelot’s fiance Bertelot (Joachim Joachimsen) desperately runs after them. Photo: Johannes LF Sunde / Trøndelag Teater Steady whatever The first thing that meets me on the Studio Stage at Trøndelag Theater is a beautiful floor. Painted to resemble elegant tiles in a wealthy home. With Molière, the action takes place in Sicily, here the play is just as easily set in Trøndelag or anywhere. Sganarelle, Don Juan’s servant (Per Bogstad Gulliksen), gives a prologue that sets the play firmly in place from the start. When Don Juan (Jo Saberniak) enters the scene, he bears little resemblance to the 17th-century seducer as Molière describes him. Here he has short, pink hair, a lot of pearls and bling around his neck and a transparent loincloth over his underpants. He wears heavy make-up and has a straight and nonchalant attitude. And with that he attracts most people and most things. EXCLUSIVE: The floor evokes associations with tiled mansions. Front: Synnøve Fossum Eriksen. Back: Emma Caroline Deichmann, Christian Eidem, Per Bogstad Gulliksen, Jo Saberniak and Joachim Joachimsen. Photo: Johannes LF Sunde / Trøndelag Theater NARRATOR: Per Bogstad Gulliksen plays the role of Sganarelle, Don Juan’s servant. Photo: Johannes LF Sunde / Trøndelag Teater Playing a naughty seducer is not necessarily always complicated, but doing it undressed, so to speak, as the main actor Saberniak has to, creates something interesting about the character. Don Juan is almost revealed already in the costume, yet women and men allow themselves to be enticed. There is something poor about the straight appearance, but the indifferent undertone is nevertheless irresistible. While the world around him froths with rage (here Emma Caroline Deichmann does a brilliant role as his scorned wife Donna Elvira), Saberniak maintains a steady whatever attitude. Dirty fun The play is packed with effects. Molière knew his commedia dell’arte to the tips of his fingers, at Trøndelag Teater the director picks up the thread with mime facts and associated sound effects. Like the murder of Donna Anna’s father at the beginning, where Don Juan waves his hand a little, and the sound reveals clanging swords. There are fun effects, but also entertainment to be seduced by, effects that show off something easy and superficial, something we can laugh at. But it is murder. This decadent approach suits the show’s basic mood well. IN MOVEMENT: The ensemble sings and dances its way through the performance. From left: Joachim Joachimsen, Jo Saberniak, Emma Caroline Deichmann, Christian Eidem, Synnøve Fossum Eriksen. Photo: JOHANNES LF SUNDE / Trøndelag Theater In addition, there is a lot of singing and dancing in “Don Juan”. Molière is regarded as the father of ballet comedy, and both song and dance suit Skjelbred’s “Don Juan” well. The contrast between the beautiful floor, the outrageous costumes, the excessive make-up and many different genres of music creates intensity in the play and reinforces the revenge motive of the scorned. But when will the play become something more than dirty fun? Little is actually at stake in this comedy. DRAMA: Emma Caroline Deichmann plays Don Juan’s scorned wife Donna Elvira with a trembling desire for revenge. Behind: Don Juan (Jo Saberniak) and Bertelot (Joachim Joachimsen) Photo: Johannes LF Sunde / Trøndelag Theater “Unnskyld punnskyld” Towards the end, when Don Juan is tricked into a trap and the strategy is to repent, Trond Giske enters the picture. Here Molière’s text is mixed with Giske’s words as penitent sins. A remorse that Don Juan readily admits is nonsense and rage afterwards. It’s like a child saying “sorry punnskuld”. And here the play shows how much desire and self-staging is about power. In the play, Don Juan is condemned to hell, but whether he makes the journey there is quite uncertain. In any case, he merrily joins the gospel song the play ends with, where the choir sings the seducer into the fires of hell. Condemning in its own way, that too – but Don Juan gets a place in the choir. At Trøndelag Theatre, hypocrisy and abuse of power are clothed in a dark, funny and interesting costume. news reviews “Don Juan” By Jean-Baptiste Poqulin de Molière with several Trøndelag Theater Date: 8 October 2022 – 19 November 2022 Cast: Jo Saberniak, Joachim Joachimsen, Emma Caroline Deichmann, Per Bogstad Gulliksen, Christian Eidem, Synnøve Fossum Eriksen Direction and set design: Ole Johan Skjelbred Scenography and costumes: Ane Ledang Aasheim Lighting design: Eivind Myren Dramaturg: Kristoffer Spender Supervisor: Hanna Solstad Prompter: Ann Eli Aasgård Technical coordinator: Martin Didrichsen Mask manager: Ann Kristin Høvik Sound design: Anders Schille Prop manager: Anne Wickstrøm and Freydis Ravn Stage manager: Eiliv Storli Play manager lighting: Stein Jørgen Øien Play manager costume: Kristin Undlien Carpenter: Egil Buseth Upholsterer: Turid Talsnes
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“Don Juan” at Trøndelag Theater – Reviews and recommendations
